Polish Authorities Dismantle Cyber-Sabotage Network Tied to Russia and Belarus

 

Poland Takes Down Cyber-Sabotage Network Linked to Russia and Belarus

Poland's security services have successfully dismantled a cyber-sabotage group connected to Belarus and Russia. This group had been carrying out cyberattacks aimed at destabilizing Poland, according to recent statements from Polish officials.

At a press conference on Monday, Poland’s Minister of Digital Affairs, Krzysztof Gawkowski, revealed that the group—whose members remain unnamed—was engaged in extorting sensitive information from Polish local governments and state-owned enterprises. Gawkowski described their tactics, which included blackmail, as "de facto cyberwar."

The group is suspected of being behind the cyberattack on POLADA, Poland’s anti-doping agency. Earlier this August, hackers associated with the group released over 50,000 confidential files from POLADA, including test results and medical records of Polish athletes. Initially, the attack was claimed by Beregini, a group that identifies itself on Telegram as a “Ukrainian hacker group.” Beregini framed the breach as a reaction to the alleged politicization of the Olympic Games.

Beregini has a history of collaborating with pro-Russian organizations to spread disinformation and forge documents related to Ukraine’s military activities. This pattern aligns with Russia’s strategy of using hacktivist groups to mask its own intelligence operations and make attribution difficult.

Gawkowski indicated that the attack on POLADA was part of a broader campaign by the now-disbanded group, which aimed to infiltrate other Polish institutions. He emphasized that the group's objective was to "paralyze the country" across political, military, and economic spheres.

All institutions affected by these cyberattacks have been informed by security services, and the group’s members have been stopped from further extortion and blackmail activities.

Gawkowski highlighted a sharp increase in cyberattacks against Poland, with over 400,000 incidents reported in the first half of the year—double the number from the previous year. This surge is attributed to Poland’s support for Ukraine and its role as a refuge for Ukrainian displaced persons, making it a prime target for pro-Russian hackers.

Poland’s Interior Minister, Tomasz Siemoniak, underscored the growing significance of cyberspace in national security. He stated, “The realm of cyberspace is increasingly crucial. It is also becoming a tool for coordinating and organizing the activities of foreign services within Poland.”

Source https://www.reuters.com