The initial round of Poland’s presidential election on 18 May will be the country’s first under a novel new defence: a cyber umbrella. Speaking to reporters in January, Poland’s digital-affairs minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski, insisted that the country was ready to repel the type of digital interference that has plagued elections worldwide. Disinformation and orchestrated social-media campaigns to push certain candidates or causes into the public remit have become an increasing concern for democracies. In late 2024 suspected Russian meddling led to the annulment of Romania’s presidential elections. 

“We are flooded with threats of electoral interference,” says Aleksandra Wójtowicz, an analyst focusing on digitalisation and new technologies at the Warsaw-based Polish Institute of International Affairs. “The intention is that this umbrella is going to keep us safe.” 

Certain programmes have already allowed the Polish public to report incidents of misinformation in the run-up to elections. But the new initiative, part of the country’s wider efforts to spend more than €2bn on cybersecurity defence, helps members of the public to identify and combat cybercrime. Run by Poland’s leading data-networks and security operator, Nask, it provides a website where civilians can read about the key election dates and facts, learn to identify digital threats and flag suspicious behaviour.

Wójtowicz is sanguine about eliminating disinformation. “The information sphere is so large that it is difficult for institutions to keep track of,” she says. “Though these projects might not prevent people from feeling scared, they create a feeling of control. With higher public involvement, we are becoming more secure.” 

It has got neighbours talking too. Estonia’s minister of justice and digital affairs, Liisa Pakosta, is optimistic about the initiative. “I fully endorse Poland’s ‘cyber umbrella’,” she says. “It aligns closely with Estonia’s own experience as we face constant cyber attacks.” 

The lesson? Bracing for bad weather and hunkering down under a digital umbrella is one thing but democracies also need to let citizens know how to deal with risks, as well as participate in the pushback. “It is important for the public to know that they can report things that are illegal,” says Wójtowicz. “Whether it’s noticing phishing or encountering a weird link, it’s about people being made aware that their role matters.”