A statement from the National Centre for Nuclear Research said this week that hackers targeted its IT infrastructure, but the attack was detected and blocked before causing any impact.
KEY FACTS
- Incident Targeted IT infrastructure detected and blocked
- Organization National nuclear research institute
- Reactor MARIA research reactor not affected and operating at full power
- Response Authorities informed and internal teams on high alert
Security systems and internal procedures designed to detect threats early prevented system compromise and enabled IT staff to secure the targeted systems quickly.
The MARIA research reactor continued to operate safely at full power and its integrity was not impacted by the incident.
Relevant authorities were notified and an investigation was opened. Internal security teams were placed on high alert to respond to any new threats.
Earlier in January multiple distributed energy resource sites, heat and power facilities, and renewable dispatch systems were attacked by the Russian threat group APT44 affecting around 30 sites. An international cybersecurity report also placed Poland high on the list of Russian cyber targets.
WHY IT MATTERS
Rapid detection and containment prevented operational impact at a national nuclear research institute. The incident underscores the importance of robust cyber defenses and timely incident response for critical research infrastructure.