Poland faces massive data breach affecting 19 million citizens

Poland is facing a massive cybersecurity incident involving a potential data breach of nearly 19 million citizens. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski confirmed the scale of the incident, which is linked to MyDr, a provider of electronic medical documentation systems used by doctors and clinics.

The breach involves highly sensitive information, including names, PESEL numbers, addresses, and details regarding medical visits, prescriptions, and treatments. Experts warn that such data is highly attractive on the black market and could fuel a second wave of sophisticated phishing attacks tailored to specific patients.

Government agencies, including the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime and the Office for Personal Data Protection, are investigating. Authorities are working to secure the data and plan to implement a system called ‘Bezpieczne Dane’ (Safe Data), which will allow citizens to verify if their information was compromised. Officials have advised the public to remain vigilant against suspicious communications and consider freezing their PESEL numbers.