Cyberattack in Poland: Medical Data of 19 Million Citizens Exposed - Initial Findings Revealed | Ta Nea (GR)

Polish authorities announced a massive leak of medical and personal data belonging to approximately 19 million citizens following a cyberattack on a medical software supplier. Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski described the incident as "one of the largest" cybersecurity events ever recorded in the country, which has a population of 37 million.

Initial investigations indicate that the attack was not perpetrated by foreign states, including Russia. Gawkowski stated that current evidence does not point to an external state-sponsored attack. Instead, the preliminary findings suggest the involvement of cybercriminals motivated by financial gain.

The stolen data amounts to roughly two terabytes (2TB) and primarily includes information related to medical visits, prescriptions, and patient monitoring documents. The minister noted that the nature and scope of the compromised data vary significantly from person to person. To address the breach, a mechanism has been established to allow citizens to check if their data has been exposed.

Approximately 12,000 medical facilities utilized the services of the targeted company. Gawkowski ruled out the possibility of paying ransom and pledged a "strict" prosecution of the perpetrators. The government aims to hold those responsible accountable for the significant data breach.