Polish SMEs face rising threats from organized cybercriminal groups

A Mastercard study of Polish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) found that 71% of them believe they are not a target for cyberattacks. The data contradicts this perception, showing cybercriminals treat the SME sector as a lucrative market and prefer to attack many small firms rather than a single large one. The study describes cybercrime as the "third global economy" by value and projects more than 270,000 incidents in 2025, a 150% rise over the previous year.

Panelists at the CYBERSEC EXPO & FORUM noted that organized crime groups operate like corporations, complete with HR departments and paid sick leave, and that artificial‑intelligence tools are lowering the entry barrier for attackers. While sectors such as finance, energy and telecommunications have built robust defenses, many local government bodies and health services lack adequate cyber‑security budgets, staff and continuity plans, leaving them especially vulnerable.