Autoriteit Financiële Markten (AFM)

The Autoriteit Financiële Markten (AFM) is the Netherlands' independent market conduct authority, established in 2002 to supervise the conduct of the entire financial market sector. The mission is straightforward: promote fair and transparent financial markets. That means the security posture isn't just protecting corporate data - it's safeguarding the integrity of a national financial system where a compromised system could mean manipulated market conduct disclosures or suppressed supervisory findings. As a regulatory body operating in the financial services vertical, the threat model runs deep: nation-state actors targeting financial infrastructure, sophisticated fraud operations seeking to exploit supervisory processes, and the ever-present challenge of securing systems that ingest and analyze massive volumes of sensitive market data. The cybersecurity function here operates at the intersection of regulatory mission and critical infrastructure protection - no product releases, just the relentless work of keeping a supervisory authority's digital backbone intact. The organization values discipline, analytical capability, and a progressive mindset. Core working principles emphasize diligence, thoroughness, autonomy, and connection with stakeholders. Based in the Netherlands, AFM's security teams work within a framework where the stakes are systemic - protecting the machinery that keeps financial markets honest.