Poland Under Siege: Cyber-attacks on Financial Institutions Reach Alarming Rates

The Growing Threat of Cyber-attacks in Poland

Polish companies and institutions have become increasingly vulnerable to cyber-attacks, with a staggering statistic emerging that a cyber-attack takes place in Poland every nine minutes. According to Noventiq, a global provider of IT solutions, the demand for innovative cybersecurity solutions from the public and private sectors is growing at an alarming rate.

Targets of Cyber-criminals

The assault on Polish institutions is not limited to private companies alone; hospitals, medical institutions, banking, and administration have all been targeted by cybercriminals. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Poland has become one of the most heavily targeted countries for cyber-attacks, ranking sixth in Europe alongside Hungary, Cyprus, Slovakia, Estonia, and Belarus.

Surge in Attacks on Public Institutions

In October 2022 alone, attacks on public institutions surged from 1214 to 2316 per week, with the public utility sector being attacked twice as frequently as average. Experts warn that this trend is likely to continue into 2023, with forecasts indicating a significant increase in cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure, including sectors such as:

• Gas
• Energy
• Public transport
• Healthcare

Evolving Cybersecurity Landscape

The cybersecurity landscape is also expected to shift, with ransomware attacks and attempts to infiltrate systems through popular open-source application programming interfaces (APIs) emerging as key trends. As the threat landscape evolves, U.S. companies specializing in cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions are likely to be of significant interest to both the Polish government and private sector partners seeking to bolster their cybersecurity infrastructure and readiness.

Staying Safe

For more information on how to improve Poland’s cyber defenses, contact the U.S. Embassy at office.warsaw@trade.gov.