Rotterdam city council’s IT security system is so poorly organised that mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb could be in danger, according to a confidential report in the hands of the Volkskrant.

The report by the city’s audit office says there is a ‘real risk’ that the mayor could be in ‘physical danger’ because it is relatively easy to access his diary and emails to gather information about his movements.

The Volkskrant says the report, which the city council has not yet authorised for publication, lists 700 key areas of weakness. Hackers were able to access four council buildings and gain access ‘relatively easily’ to the entire system and could even operate the traffic lights.

The audit office carried out the research after internet security group Fox-IT concluded last year there were major problems in the council’s IT systems. Fox-IT carried out its probe after information about 25,000 city residents leaked into the public domain.

City officials have declined to comment on the findings until the report is made public, which may happen next week, the Volkskrant said.