Although deepfake and advanced disinformation technologies are on the rise, classic data leakage remains the biggest reputational threat to Polish organisations - 87.2 per cent of communication and marketing professionals believe so. In second place was phishing (61.5 per cent) and only in fifth place was deepfake (43.6 per cent). Despite the growing awareness of the threats, only 39 per cent of companies have procedures in place to respond to attacks using artificial intelligence, according to the report 'Cyber threats and the image of organisations' prepared by the dfusion communication agency.
Despite the growing awareness of the threat posed by deepfakes, today only 39 per cent of Polish organisations have procedures in place to respond to them. Moreover, 23 per cent of respondents do not know whether such procedures exist at all in their companies, and 13 per cent do not have them at all and do not plan to introduce them.
- Cyber security experts put it bluntly - cyber criminals are no longer hacking, they are logging in. In a world where data is currency and reputations can collapse in a matter of hours, any security gap becomes a potential threat to brand credibility - Anna Klimczuk, head of Microsoft communications in Central Europe, emphasises.
Every industry under attack
It is a mistake to think that cyber threats only affect technology companies. In the past five years, as many as 88 per cent of companies in Poland have experienced a cyber attack or data leak. In the second half of 2024, Poland was the second most attacked country in the world and the number of ransomware incidents increased by 37 per cent (source: EY).
- If - being the PR person in your organisation - you think that the image crisis caused by a cyber attack threatens primarily companies in technology-related areas - think again. Cyber threats affect every entity today - regardless of industry, business profile, company size or degree of digitalisation - warns Anna Olszewska, Director of the Communications Department at KIR.
Biggest fear: loss of confidence
For organisations, the most painful consequence of a cyber attack is not financial loss, but loss of trust, with 69.2 per cent of respondents citing this aspect. The average cost of a single data leak in 2024 was $4.88 million, 10 per cent more than the year before (IBM Security, Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024). In the healthcare sector, it is now more than $10.9 million per incident.
The cyber security of an organisation is not just based on technology, but also on effective communication. Finances can be recovered, data can be rebuilt, but reputations are sometimes beyond repair. Effective communication in a crisis is not just about reacting, but about limiting the reputational impact of an incident. Therefore, organisations need to take care of both technical safeguards and a clear, consistent message - explains Aleksandra Huścia, Senior Account Manager, dfusion Communication.
Although awareness of threats is growing, practice is still lagging behind. Many companies do not have a ready-made scenario for dealing with a cyber attack. As a result, they only react when the situation is out of control - and in an information crisis, time works against the brand. Only 38 per cent of organisations have a detailed crisis communication plan that takes cyber threats into account. Only 28.2 per cent regularly run simulations of crisis scenarios - and it is exercises that allow them to test whether the plan works in practice.
In a crisis, good ad hoc decisions are rarely made. Pre-developed scenarios, available resources and ready teams are crucial. Even when the situation is well recognised, it is necessary to know exactly what steps to take, and this is often the Achilles' heel of many organisations - adds Lukasz Malczewski, Managing Partner, dfusion Communication.
Interestingly, the biggest barrier to effective crisis management is the lack of quick access to facts (59 per cent of indications) and the lack of clear internal procedures (41 per cent). The problem is exacerbated by a lack of consistency in communication between departments (28.2 per cent).
Therefore, doing business responsibly in a world where digital solutions cannot be ignored requires not only the selection of proven technologies and trusted suppliers, but, above all, a conscious approach to building an organisation's resilience at every level of the - Anna Olszewska adds.
Recommendations for organisations
Key areas for improvement can also be gleaned from the report:
- Development of detailed crisis communication plans (currently 38 per cent).
- Conducting simulations on a regular basis (currently 28.2 per cent).
- Introduce procedures for responding to deepfake (currently 39 per cent).
- Constant monitoring of cyberspace (currently 51.3 per cent).
In times of crisis, there will be no time for improvisation and no room for emotion. This is why it is so important not only to have a plan, but to practise it regularly - so that in a moment of danger you can act according to a pre-trained pattern - Anna Klimczuk concludes.
About the study:
The survey 'Cyber threats and the image of the organisation' was conducted by the dfusion communication agency in June 2025 among 55 communication and marketing professionals operating in the Polish market.
