Adriana Sas
Research expert covering the Polish market
Cybercrime and cybersecurity in Poland - statistics & facts
Spam, hate speech, and piracy are the most common issues encountered by internet users in Poland. According to the network's threat map, the primary concern for Polish internet users is offensive and illegal content. This category encompasses spam, unlawful material (such as pedophilia), and content that infringes copyright. Regrettably, the magnitude of internet threats is increasing annually, and this pattern is likely to persist.
Another threat is the possibility of children and young people coming into contact with dangerous strangers online. Sexting and sextortion are common issues faced by internet users of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. These cases have become more frequent and take various forms, including the sharing of sexting material without the victim's consent, content resulting from child grooming, or other third-party activities.
Increase in phishing threats
In Poland, most cyber incidents reported were attributed to social engineering. Compared to 2022, there was a notable rise in the number of incidents falling into this category. These incidents primarily stemmed from social engineering campaigns disseminated through email. Among the sociotechnical activities observed, both phishing and spear phishing messages aimed to acquire login credentials, payments, and other sensitive data. There were also reported attempts to distribute malware through such campaigns. The prevalent types of incidents included Facebook phishing, in which perpetrators impersonated account holders and sent messages soliciting transfers using the BLIK mobile payment system—the second type of phishing involved counterfeit websites posing as foreign services like PayU and DotPay.Risks of internet use by children
Online risks for children and young people include access to illegal and harmful content such as pornography, neo-Nazi, xenophobic, racist, and sect-related material, as well as photos and videos depicting violence and materials encouraging drug use or other risky behavior.Another threat is the possibility of children and young people coming into contact with dangerous strangers online. Sexting and sextortion are common issues faced by internet users of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. These cases have become more frequent and take various forms, including the sharing of sexting material without the victim's consent, content resulting from child grooming, or other third-party activities.
Organized cybercrime groups - the biggest threat to companies
Cybercrime poses a significant threat to companies, with organized cybercrime groups, cyber-terrorists, and disgruntled or bribed employees being major concerns for company security. Is there an effective method of protection against cyber-attacks? Cybersecurity issues for terminal equipment (such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops, printers, and MFPs) in both private and public sectors require substantial investment and education. In the coming years, companies will face the challenge of providing adequate cyber protection for their businesses and raising employee awareness about the safe use of terminal equipment while performing their duties. It is estimated that by 2029, the revenues of the cybersecurity market will increase to nearly 1.2 billion U.S. dollars.
