Cybersecurity is a key element of national security
The President of the Personal Data Protection Office Mirosław Wróblewski took part in the debate "Counteracting crime in the digital world" at 29th Banking & Insurance Forum, which provides a platform for the exchange of views between the banking and insurance sectors. The event also focuses on the functioning and future of the financial sector in Poland.
The debate took place on the first day of the 29th Forum and aimed at raising awareness of the ever-increasing importance of cybersecurity in the banking sector, where the number of hacking attacks is rising. Participants tried to answer the question of what are the biggest challenges related to data protection in the digital world and to what extent the exchange of experience between market sectors can contribute to an increase in the level of digital security for all citizens. The discussion was attended by specialists in the banking sector dealing with cybersecurity, representatives of the insurance practice and representatives of public institutions.
During the meeting, attention was drawn to the problem of artificial intelligence in everyday life related to the introduction of digital security - many solutions that until recently proved to be effective lose their meaning extremely quickly (e.g. the previously used method of voice verification of customers). However, this can only be helped by education aimed precisely at specific recipients and an understandable language of description of the problems encountered, related, for example, to the age of people who can benefit from digital education. Speakers also noted that the financial sector is most often attacked in Poland by ransomware (with a ransom demand) and in this respect is the most endangered sector in the country, as already noted by insurers (in Europe, already 2/3 of companies have cybersecurity insurance). During the debate, the issue of cooperation between state institutions and banks also arose, because it is between these entities that the exchange of information appears to be crucial in crisis situations.
The President of the Personal Data Protection Office, Mirosław Wróblewski, pointed out that we are not defenceless against even the most sophisticated digital attacks directed at the personal data, because there are legal tools that should be used every time - in this context, President Wróblewski recalled the decisions he took as a supervisory authority last year regarding the ban on the dissemination of the image of natural persons by Meta Platforms. As he explained, it is always most important to find systemic causes of data breaches in the digital space, and this is often the biggest problem, because in this area there is often a lack of an appropriate culture of work organisation – e.g., IT audits.
Mirosław Wróblewski also referred to good practices in digital education. However, as he admitted, the most important issue for today is prevention and appropriate response to cybersecurity threats. "This is no less important for ensuring national security than building physical walls" - added the President of the Personal Data Protection Office.