Poland Investigates “Gigantic” Military Data Leak

A database detailing the full equipment of the Polish army as of the end of 2021 has appeared online.

Poland is investigating a large-scale leak of the resource database of the Polish armed forces. This is reported by the Polish outlet Onet, citing sources in the military department.

Data on the material resources of the Polish army appeared online on Sunday, January 9. According to informants, the databases reflect the state of the army's forces and assets for the period from June to September 2021.

The data disclosed on the military network comprises 1,757,390 records. The records are supply reports for each unit, ranging from underwear to firearms, heavy equipment, fighter jets and components for them.

The more than 1.7 million disclosed records reveal a detailed picture of the holdings of the entire Polish army, as well as shortages of its equipment. The census makes it possible to determine, for example, which equipment is not working or what the Polish army lacks.

“These systems are a source of information on equipment, weaponry, structure, types of ammunition, spare parts, etc. If someone has access to them, they know everything about the state of our armed forces. That is why these data should never be gathered in one place. I am horrified that someone has grouped them like this, and even more so that they have ended up online,” says a senior officer on condition of anonymity.

Part of the database concerns weapons and vehicles purchased by the Polish army from other countries, along with more or less complete equipment. These include, for example, Israeli Spike anti-tank missiles, German Leopard tanks or American F-16 fighters. Most of the data concerns equipment from the former USSR.

The disclosed databases also list the types of software used by the military and the licenses they have acquired. A reader of the database resources will learn about specific programs for extracting and deeply analyzing data from mobile phones and computers, as well as for searching email. They can see which programs the military uses to run IT systems and military equipment.

Petr Pytel
former head of the Military Counterintelligence Service

I don't know of such a case, but if it were so, the material would be worth a great deal of money. This is strategic data that Russian intelligence is looking for. It provides the basis for an accurate assessment of the material condition of military units, our stockpiles, priority units and, more broadly, the defense capability of our country. Such data is of particular importance for planning offensive operations.

According to a cybersecurity specialist who spoke to the outlet, the database has already been downloaded by users from more than ten countries, including Russia and China.

The leak most likely came from the Logistics Planning Headquarters of the Armed Forces Support Inspectorate in Bydgoszcz. One of the IT specialists created a proprietary program into which he copied data from classified military systems.

The Polish Ministry of Defence said it would not comment on the issue until the investigation is complete.

“The case is being analyzed in detail by the services. It is now being determined whether there was a leak and whether the disclosed file was actually prepared by the Polish Armed Forces,” said a statement from the country's Ministry of National Defence.