Polish Press Agency Details

    Organization Logo

    Polish Press Agency

    Warsaw, Poland • 500 employees • Civil Society and Non-Profits

    https://www.pap.pl
    Poland

    Industry

    Civil Society and Non-Profits

    Security Incidents

    1

    The Polish Press Agency is Poland's national news agency, producing and distributing political, economic, social, and cultural news as well as events information. It was founded in 1918 as Polish Telegraphic Agency. PAP serves print media, online, radio and TV, as well as government offices and private businesses.

    Security Incidents

    Polish Press Agency Breach of Jul 2024
    Severity Score
    Significant to High

    Type

    Other

    Summary

    In May, the Polish Press Agency (PAP) experienced a sophisticated cyberattack, allegedly orchestrated by Russian operatives. The attackers published disinformation on PAP's website, falsely claiming that Poland was initiating a partial mobilization of 200,000 men to support the war in Ukraine. This fake article caused significant alarm and was reposted even after being deleted. Investigations revealed that the breach was achieved via malware that infected a PAP employee's device. The Polish government has been quick to attribute the attack to Russia, suspecting it was intended to stir public p...
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    Severity

    The cyberattack on Poland's state news agency, PAP, which involved the publication and re-publication of fake news regarding a mobilization order, represents a sophisticated disinformation effort likely carried out by Russian-linked actors. The targeted attack was intended to incite panic and destabilize Poland's social and political environment, particularly ahead of European Parliament elections. Given the attack's strategic intent, the direct involvement of foreign actors, and Poland's position on the frontline of cyber conflicts involving Russia, this incident is assessed as having a sever...
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    Impact

    The cyberattack on the Polish Press Agency (PAP) was a targeted disinformation campaign likely orchestrated by Russian actors. No customer data was exposed; instead, the attackers published false information on the PAP website to incite panic among the public. While no critical systems or services were taken offline, the incident demonstrated the vulnerability of media outlets to such attacks. The infiltration was achieved through malware on an employee's device, underscoring the importance of robust internal security measures to protect against foreign interference.

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