An overnight intrusion forced a prominent Polish historical institution offline, exposing how digital archives have become targets in an information war.
Hackers breached the websites of Poland’s state-run Pilecki Institute, which researches the crimes of the Nazi and communist regimes. They posted content featuring Russian propaganda claims and anti-Ukrainian narratives on the institution’s pages.
The cyberattack occurred overnight. The attackers targeted the main website of the Witold Pilecki Institute of Solidarity and Valor, as well as the websites of its branches in Berlin and the northeastern Polish city of Augustów.
The published content was aimed at distorting Polish history and amplifying anti-Ukrainian narratives.
– the Pilecki Institute said in a statement
The institution’s IT team blocked the attack. The affected websites were temporarily taken offline so specialists could inspect them and prevent further interference.
The situation is under control. All archives are secure.
– the Pilecki Institute said in its statement
The Institute Is Reviewing the Security of Its Websites
Following the cyberattack, the institution launched a comprehensive review of all its online resources. Access is expected to be restored as soon as possible once the necessary security measures have been completed.
The Pilecki Institute emphasized that it has spent many years countering disinformation, studying the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century, and cooperating with Ukrainian archives and institutions.
The Pilecki Institute will not abandon this mission, regardless of the pressure and aggression it has faced.
– the Pilecki Institute said in its statement
What the Pilecki Institute Does
The Institute was founded in 2018. It researches the crimes of the Nazi and communist regimes and works to preserve the memory of the victims of the 20th century’s totalitarian systems.
The institution was named after Witold Pilecki, a member of the Polish resistance who voluntarily entered the Nazi German Auschwitz concentration camp to gather intelligence. His reports became some of the earliest eyewitness accounts of the crimes committed there.
In 1948, Witold Pilecki was executed by Poland’s communist authorities following a politically motivated trial.
Previous Major Cyberattack in Poland
The breach of the Pilecki Institute’s websites occurred just days after another serious cyber incident in Poland. During an attack on MyDr, one of the country’s largest electronic medical records providers, the data of nearly 19 million people was stolen.
The compromised information included details about prescriptions, prescribed medications, and other confidential patient data.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Thursday that the attack was likely financially motivated. Available evidence suggests that the hackers attempted to demand a ransom from the company.
Following both incidents, Polish specialists continued to examine the affected systems and work to protect confidential data and digital archives.