In a decisive move to bolster national cybersecurity, Poland recently announced an investment exceeding 3 billion zlotys ($760 million) to enhance its digital defence mechanisms.

The move follows a major cyberattack on Poland’s state news agency, PAP, which authorities attribute to Russian operatives.

Polish officials have been on heightened alert through the European parliament election period, wary of potential interference from Moscow. Concerns peaked when a fabricated article concerning military mobilisation surfaced on PAP, an incident that underscored the vulnerability of Poland’s digital infrastructure.

Moscow has been continually trying to destabilise Poland, Warsaw officials say, due to the substantial military support that Poland is sending to Ukraine.

“Poland is on the frontline of the cyber fight against Russia,” stated Digitalisation Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski. “We intend to allocate over 3 billion zlotys for a ‘Cyber Shield’. Poland faces the most cyberattacks,” he continued.

Gawkowski has underlined how Poland has blocked a number of cyberattacks aimed at the state’s critical systems.

The Russian Federation has one goal - to destabilise the situation and ensure that the forces supporting the breakup of the EU can benefit,” he said.

Despite these accusations, the Russian embassy in Warsaw has claimed no knowledge of the PAP attack and has dismissed the allegations of destabilisation attempts. However, Poland has linked Russia to various acts of sabotage and arson within its borders, suggesting an active effort by Russian intelligence to build intelligence on weapons shipments to Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion in early 2022.

Know the risks

Poland’s vigilance against escalating cyber threats underscores how public and private sector entities alike must make every effort to galvanise online defences to mitigate rapidly evolving risks.

The issues are explored to depth this October at #RISK London, where industry leaders debate strategies that businesses should implement to enhance security and safeguard sensitive data.

#RISK London 2024

We’re excited to share that #RISK is back in London for its third consecutive year, ready to equip attendees like you with the knowledge, insights, and connections crucial for navigating today’s dynamic risk landscape.

#RISK London 2024, ExCel

#RISK London 2024, 9-10 October, ExCel - GRC. AI. Privacy. Security. RegTech

Key #RISK London sessions include:

The Future of Cyber Threats: Mitigating Risks in a Digital Age

Location: Risk Theatre

This session delves deep into the ever-changing landscape of cyber threats, exploring new attack methods like ransomware-as-a-service and the targeting of critical infrastructure.

Experts will discuss best practices for cybersecurity defence, including incident response planning, employee training, and leveraging advanced security solutions.

The Future of Privacy: Emerging Technologies and Data Governance

Location: PrivSec Theatre

This session will explore the impact of emerging technologies like blockchain, quantum computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) on data privacy.

Experts will discuss the need for innovative data governance models to address the challenges and opportunities presented by these technologies.

These are just two of the exclusive sessions taking place at #RISK London this October

Click here to see the full agenda

Discover more at #RISK London

Taking place October 9 and 10 at London’s ExCel, #RISK London brings high-profile subject-matter experts together for a series of keynotes, engaging panel debates and presentations across four separate theatres:

• GRC Theatre

• RegTech Theatre

• PrivSec Theatre

• Risk Theatre 

Each theatre is dedicated to examining the challenges and opportunities that businesses face in times of unprecedented change.

By breaking down silos and aligning systems and workflows, organisations can streamline decision-making, improve efficiencies, and enhance the customer experience.

Attendees will be able to learn how to mitigate risks, reduce compliance breaches, and drive performance.

“#RISK is such an important event as it looks at the broad perspective. Risks are now more interconnected and the risk environment is bigger than ever before.”Michael Rasmussen, GRC Analyst & Pundit, GRC 20/20 Research

Click here to register for #RISK London today!

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