Cybersecurity in practice
While the topic may seem remote, cyberattacks affect institutions we use every day – from universities through government offices to medical facilities. Dr Karolina Podstawa cites four high-profile cases from recent years, including:
- Finland (Vastaamo) – hackers stole from a psychotherapy platform data of thousands of patients, blackmailing them into revealing confidential information.
- The Netherlands (Maastricht University) – a university faced a dire choice after a cyberattack i.e., pay a ransom in Bitcoin or lose access to key data.
Both of these cases show that cybersecurity is not only a matter of technology but also trust – between the institution and its users.
Between law and reality
In her analysis, Dr Podstawa also examines legal regulations: from the GDPR, which has changed the way we think about personal data across Europe, to the NIS 2 Directive, a new legal basis for cyber resilience in the EU. She points out that even the best regulations will not work without user awareness and education. No security measures are effective unless we understand how to use them.
Law, technology and man
Cybersecurity today is not just the responsibility of data controllers, but a shared responsibility – from research institutions to every internet user. As the researcher points out, in a world where every click matters, we need not only good regulations but also a culture of digital responsibility.
The lecture "Cyberbezpieczeństwo – między regulacją a rzeczywistością" [Cybersecurity – between regulation and reality] is now available on the Science Inspires channel on YouTube.
Edit: Małgorzata Jasińska and Magdalena Paszko, Centre for External Relations and Social Responsibility of the University, University of Lodz, University of Lodz
