Kosiniak-Kamysz said cybersecurity specialists are urgently needed regardless of how the war in Ukraine ends, warning that threats to Poland are likely to persist—and could even grow.
He spoke in the southern city of Kraków at an event launching a cybersecurity partnership between the armed forces’ Cyber Defence Command and the AGH University of Science and Technology.
The Cyber Legion is intended to link military and civilian experts, strengthen Poland’s cyber defences and deepen cooperation between the armed forces and the academic sector.
“What is the Cyber Legion? It is an invitation for the most outstanding specialists in digital technologies, computer science and artificial intelligence to work daily with the Polish armed forces’ Cyber Defense Component,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said.
He said officials initially expected around 400 applicants over several months, but interest far exceeded expectations.
Of the 2,000 who applied, almost all passed a security and skills assessment designed to determine their capacity to support national defence, Kosiniak-Kamysz told reporters.
Participants will be available to assist in various cyber defence tasks and will receive specialised training, he said.
“You are very much needed by Poland today,” Kosiniak-Kamysz told students, adding that "even if the situation in Ukraine stabilises, Poland may face increased cyber threats" as adversaries redirect resources.
The minister said Poland experiences hundreds of thousands of attempted cyberattacks daily, targeting everything from critical infrastructure to state-owned companies.
He also told the gathering that Poland’s cyber forces "are regarded as among the best within NATO," including by the United States.
Maj. Gen. Karol Molenda, commander of the Cyber Defence Component, told participants that joining the Cyber Legion is “not an obligation, but a privilege.”
He said cyber threats evolve daily and the military must continually strengthen its defences.
“If we act with determination, we will not only respond to threats—we will stay ahead of them,” Molenda said.
“Perhaps we will even reach the point where our adversaries are afraid to attack, or even to log in," he added.
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Source: IAR, PAP
Click on the audio player above for a report by Marcin Matuszewski.