Legal framework of cybersecurity and cyberspace protection policy of the Republic of Poland

The article is devoted to the study of the formation of the Polish legal doctrine of cybersecurity and the features of state policy in the field of cyberspace protection of the Republic of Poland. It can be argued that the Republic of Poland pays constant attention to cybersecurity issues: responsibility for ensuring cybersecurity is divided mainly between two ministries. The protection of Poland’s civilian cyberspace is one of the main priorities and prerogatives of the Ministry of Digital Technologies, while military cyberspace is the responsibility of the Ministry of National Defense. It was noted that the Republic of Poland focuses its main efforts in the field of cybersecurity on the following main areas: 1) development of a national cybersecurity system; increasing the national potential for ensuring security in cyberspace; 2) increasing the level of resilience of information systems of public administration and the private sector, as well as ensuring the ability to effectively prevent and respond to incidents; 3) increasing public awareness and competence in the field of cybersecurity; 4) building a strong international position of the Republic of Poland in the field of cybersecurity. It is noted that Polish legislators have identified a certain contradiction between ensuring, on the one hand, an adequate level of protection of information systems, and, on the other, the possibility of restricting civil liberties in cyberspace. The legislator’s position regarding such restrictions is that they can be introduced only if cyber protection cannot be ensured in any other way. The authors believe that ensuring cybersecurity is of strategic importance for Poland. It is concluded that the Republic of Poland seeks to build a state policy for the protection of cyberspace by increasing the level of resilience to cyber threats, strengthening information protection in the public, military and private sectors, as well as disseminating knowledge and best practices among entrepreneurs and the population. The 2018 ‘Act on National Cybersecurity’ initiated the process of implementing the first pan-European legislative act on cybersecurity (NIS Directive) into Polish law.