Financial Crime World

Cybercrime on the Rise in Poland Amid War in Ukraine

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has led to a surge in cyberattacks across Europe, with Poland being one of the most affected countries. Despite the increasing number of incidents, experts warn that large-scale impacts have not yet been felt.

The Escalation of Cyber Attacks

  • On January 15, hackers launched a deface attack on several government networks in Ukraine, replacing content with a message suggesting it was the work of Polish hackers.
  • Malicious software was introduced into some Ukrainian government networks, erasing data and causing disruptions to essential services.
  • Accenture, a business consulting firm, has been tracking cyber incidents related to the conflict, warning that NATO countries can expect an increase in cyber attacks aimed at eroding popular sentiment and political will supporting Ukraine.

The Situation in Poland

  • The Polish Prime Minister’s Office reported a rising number of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks against domestic entities, which may cause difficulties accessing e-services.
  • Although the attacks are openly admitted by Russian-speaking hacktivist groups, the situation is under control, and no major impact has been recorded yet.
  • The government raised the alert level regarding threats in cyberspace from ALFA-CRP to CHARLIE-CRP in February due to cyber attacks on government servers in Ukraine.

Global Concerns

  • The US has issued an alert with a comprehensive overview of Russian state-sponsored and cybercriminal threats to critical infrastructure, warning that the threat should not be underestimated despite no large-scale attacks having been carried out yet.
  • Rob Joyce, director for cybersecurity at the US National Security Agency, expressed concern about the sustained conflict in cyberspace.

Experts’ Warnings

  • Experts doubt that Poland is in danger of being paralyzed by major attacks on critical cyber infrastructure but recommend citizens get prepared for short-term disruptions of key services.
  • Activities carried out by cyber activists who attack Russian government bodies or companies can be dangerous, as Russia may interpret these attacks as expressions of support for Western countries and take retaliatory measures aimed at these countries.