Polish authorities arrest Russian in major digital security breach probe

Polish authorities have detained a 23-year-old Russian citizen accused of hacking the IT systems of several Polish companies in what officials describe as a serious breach of digital security, with investigators examining possible links to broader cyber operations in Europe.

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski announced the arrest on Thursday, saying officers from the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime (CBZC) placed the suspect in pre-trial detention following a mid-November operation. The District Court in Krakow approved a three-month detention order at prosecutors' request, and officials said additional arrests are likely as the investigation widens.

According to details reported by Polish news service Onet, the man was detained in Wroclaw, where he had been living. Investigators say he infiltrated the database of a major e-commerce platform, gaining unauthorized access to almost one million customer records, including personal data and transaction histories.

CBZC officials said the suspect crossed into Poland illegally in 2022 before securing refugee status in 2023. Since then, investigators believe he may have taken part in or supported cyberattacks targeting not only Polish systems but also the digital infrastructure of several EU member states.

"The evidence clearly shows he breached IT security without consent, gained unauthorized access to a company's systems, and interfered with the database structure," the CBZC said in a statement. "These actions could have caused serious harm to both company operations and customer safety."

Authorities are now analyzing whether the stolen data was used, sold or transferred to groups outside Poland, including potential connections to organized cybercrime or state-backed networks.

Poland has reported a rise in sabotage attempts in recent months, many of which officials believe are linked to Russian intelligence services. Recent cases include efforts to disrupt railway infrastructure, prompting the government to launch Operation Horizon, an inter-agency initiative designed to reinforce the protection of critical infrastructure across the country.