Poland apparently prevents the city’s water supply

Goal for sabotage

Poland apparently prevents attack on water supply

Secret services in Poland have probably stopped an attack on the water supply of a big city. Who is behind it is still unclear.

According to the government, Poland has fended off a cyber attack on the water supply of a larger city. This was said by the deputy prime minister and digital minister Krzysztof Gawkowski in an interview with the Polish news portal “Onet”. The attack was discovered on Wednesday and “at the last moment” was stopped.

Gawkowski did not name the goal of the prevented attack. He “does not want to stir up emotions in the population”. The attack was recognized by the joint center for cyber operations, a coordinating facility in which, according to the ministry, secret services and national Cert teams (CSIRT) are involved. However, the attack also highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure- also in other EU and NATO countries.

According to Monika Gembicka from the communication office of the Digital Ministry, the procedure is part of a broader strategy. The attacks are an expression of enemy activities against Poland and its partners. Public communication wants to sensitize those responsible in industry and municipalities: operators of critical infrastructure would have to better secure their systems.

Poland has been increasingly seeing Ukraine in the sights of hybrid operations since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression, including cyber attacks and sabotage. As an important logistical hub for western military and auxiliary deliveries to Ukraine, the country plays a central role. Gawkowski already described Poland in the past as the “main goal” of Russian cyber activities among NATO countries.

According to the minister, 99 percent of the digital attacks are warded off. In order to strengthen national IT security, the government plans investments of over three billion Zloty (the equivalent of around 800 million euros). Last year, the state news agency Pap had already become the goal of a presumably Russian cyber attack.

In parallel to the statements of Gawkowski, it became known that a 17-year-old Ukrainian citizen was arrested. Among other things, he is accused of smearing a monument to victims of Ukrainian nationalists in the Second World War. According to Prime Minister Donald Tusk, he is said to have acted on behalf of foreign intelligence services. A direct connection to the thwarted cyber attack has not yet been established.