Warsaw, Poland. Poland said it foiled a cyberattack on its National Centre for Nuclear Research and is examining indications that Iran may be behind it, while cautioning the signs could be misleading.
Attack stopped and investigation underway
Minister for Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski told broadcaster TVN24+ that the attack occurred “in the past few days” and involved an attempt to break through security that was stopped. He said relevant services were working on the case and that the centre was safe.
Possible links to Iran and warning of misdirection
Gawkowski said initial identification of entry vectors suggested a connection to Iran, adding that the findings would be verified once services completed their checks. He said there were indications the activity took place on Iranian territory, while the government cautioned the indicators could be a deliberate attempt to conceal the attackers’ true location.
The Iranian embassy in Warsaw did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Broader context and the research centre’s role
Poland has said it has faced numerous cyberattacks since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, while Moscow has repeatedly denied involvement.
The National Centre for Nuclear Research conducts research into nuclear energy, subatomic physics and related fields. Poland has no nuclear weapons and is building its first nuclear power plant.
Regional developments cited in the report
The report said the U.S. and Israel carried out coordinated airstrikes on Iran on February 28, killing Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It said Tehran responded by striking Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. military installations, halting oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for roughly a fifth of the world’s LNG and petroleum.
What measures should governments take to better protect research institutions from cyberattacks?
