The Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime detained a Russian national suspected of breaking into the systems of Polish companies and tampering with their databases. He has been placed in temporary custody.
“Officers of the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime (CBZC) in Kraków have detained a Russian citizen suspected of serious offences involving unauthorised interference in the ICT systems of Polish companies,” the Minister of the Interior and Administration, Marcin Kierwiński, announced on social media.
The man is believed to have breached company security systems and gained access to their databases.
The CBZC reports that the Russian was detained on 16 November on the orders of the District Prosecutor’s Office in Krakow. He had reportedly been staying in Poland since 2022, and in 2023 he obtained refugee status.
“The evidence gathered in the course of the investigation clearly shows that, acting without the consent or authorisation of the entity operating the online store, he broke through the company’s IT security, gained unauthorised access to its ICT system and its databases. He then tampered with the structure of those databases, which could have led to serious consequences for the company’s operations and the safety of its customers,” the police stated.
The court decided to place the man in temporary detention for three months.
The CBZC notes that according to investigators, “the detainee may be linked to other cybercrime-related incidents targeting not only Polish companies but also firms in European Union member states”.
The investigation is ongoing.