Cyber Incident Victim: Telewizja Polska
Date:
Jun 2024
Location:
Poland
Summary
A Polish sports channel experienced a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack during a Euro 2024 match between Poland and the Netherlands, disrupting live streaming services and blocking access to its website for the duration of the first half. The attack originated from IP addresses within Poland and temporarily prevented viewers from accessing content. Normal operations resumed by the second half of the match, restoring website functionality and broadcast capabilities. The incident occurred during a high-profile international sporting event but did not permanently compromise the channel’s services.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On June 16, 2024, during Poland's opening Euro 2024 football match against the Netherlands, Polish sports broadcaster TVP Sport experienced a disruptive cyberattack that compromised its streaming services. The incident began around 15:00 local time (1300 GMT) when attackers launched a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) assault targeting the TVP Sport website. This attack originated from IP addresses physically located within Poland, according to TVP Sport director Jakub Kwiatkowski's official statement on social media platform X. The sustained traffic overload prevented viewers from accessing the website throughout the entire first half of the critical tournament match. The disruption occurred during a high-profile sporting event with significant public interest, as Poland competed against a major European football rival in Germany-hosted championship matches.
TVP Sport's technical teams responded to the incident during the match interval, successfully restoring website accessibility at the start of the second half. No additional technical countermeasures or forensic findings were disclosed beyond the confirmation of the DDoS attack's domestic origin. The cyberattack exclusively impacted digital viewership through the broadcaster's online platform, with no reported disruptions to traditional television broadcasts. The Netherlands ultimately secured a 2-1 victory over Poland with a late winning goal in the competitively significant Group D match. Following this incident, Poland's national team prepared for their subsequent Euro 2024 fixture against Austria while the Netherlands advanced to face tournament favorites France. The broadcaster did not release further details regarding attack mitigation strategies, potential perpetrators, or long-term service modifications resulting from the incident.