NASK does not want a repeat of the “Dworczyk’s box”. Domain “gov.pl” with more protection

The gov.pl domain may only be used by e.g. central offices and other administrative or government institutions. Gov is an abbreviation of the English government, meaning .

Domain “gov.pl” with more protection

– This domain gives authority to public administration websites and portals, somehow guaranteeing their safety. Thanks to this, they perceive the information placed there as messages from state authorities and have greater confidence in them – explains Ireneusz Wiśniewski, Managing Director of F5 in Poland, a technology company specializing in application security, in an interview with Gazeta.pl.

However, the expert explains that cybercriminals try to use the high authority of online communication channels that operate within the gov.pl domain. They impersonate official websites and mislead users. This is especially important in the face of ongoing . Impersonation of digital communication channels of the state administration may have a political and military dimension.

NASK intervenes in “gov.pl”

The NASK Scientific and Academic Computer Network, which decides who can use the government domain, is aware of the threat. According to the latest information from the portal, it decided that all state authorities that want to use the gov.pl domain will have to use a number of authentication mechanisms.

– The introduction by NASK of the obligation to use SPF, DMARC, DKIM mechanisms and two-factor authentication will certainly translate into greater security of the entire system. It will be more difficult for hackers to break into official mailboxes or e-mails, and thus steal sensitive data or place false information, says Ireneusz Wiśniewski in an interview with Gazeta.pl.

Michał Dworczyk’s e-mail scandal will not have a second part?

However, these changes may turn out to be worthless if they are not followed by changes in the thinking of the most important people in the country. Let us remind you that two years ago we had to deal with an e-mail scandal in Poland, with the head of the prime minister’s office in the lead role. Secret e-mails passed between the rulers were to come to light.

The government has never officially confirmed or denied the e-mails that emerged after the attack on Michał Dworczyk’s private e-mail account, which he used to contact other politicians on official matters. However, some United Right politicians confirmed that they were the senders or recipients of part of the message. Among them were e.g. or Patrick Jake.

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Poland’s cybersecurity depends on politicians

One of the theories as to why this happened was that the criminals either swindled the password from the minister’s wife, or she used the same password with other service providers and there was a leak. For this reason, the Managing Director of F5 in Poland emphasizes that the system’s resistance to external attacks is closely related to compliance with security rules by its users.

– As long as officials, ministers or parliamentarians use private email boxes or click on suspicious links, there will be loopholes for cybercriminals. Therefore, along with raising security standards, it is worth spending a moment on educating and raising awareness of people using public systems. Because the effectiveness of actions for the benefit depends on them – he says in an interview with Gazeta.pl.