DDoS Attacks Disrupt BLIK Payment System Again

The news in Polish

1. popularny
   oznacza coś, co jest znane i powszechnie akceptowane przez wiele osób. ↩︎
2. płatność  (f.)
   przekazywanie pieniędzy w zamian za produkt lub usługę. ↩︎
3. powód  (m.)
   przyczyna, dla której coś się dzieje. ↩︎
4. atak  (m.)
   nagłe działanie mające na celu zniszczenie lub zaszkodzenie komuś lub czemuś. ↩︎
5. naprawić
   przywrócić coś do dobrego stanu po uszkodzeniu. ↩︎
6. bezpieczeństwo  (n.)
   stan wolny od zagrożeń, zapewniający ochronę przed szkodą. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: What happened to the BLIK payment system on Monday?

Question 2: What did BLIK promise to do about the money that was blocked?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
popularny	popular
płatność  (f.)	payment
powód  (m.)	reason
atak  (m.)	attack
naprawić	repair
bezpieczeństwo  (n.)	security

Read the full story

The popular Polish cashless payment system, BLIK, faced another disruption due to a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, affecting users across Poland. The service was temporarily unavailable on Monday afternoon, causing significant inconvenience for users attempting to conduct transactions.

A growing number of reports on the Downdetector service, numbering around 4,000, highlighted issues with BLIK’s service. Of particular concern were difficulties in completing payments, as well as disruptions to mobile and online banking services. This latest attack follows a similar incident on the previous Saturday, intensifying users’ frustrations and highlighting vulnerabilities in the system.

BLIK addressed the issue through social media updates, confirming they were actively monitoring external attack pressures. “We are currently experiencing an external DDoS attack, which may cause temporary issues with BLIK payments,” the statement read. Efforts to restore services were ongoing, with service providers assuring users of reinforcement measures to secure the system against future problems.

By late Monday evening, around 6:30 PM, BLIK announced that the system functionality had been restored. Users should no longer face transaction difficulties, and the system infrastructure is now reportedly secure with continuous monitoring to ensure full operational fluidity. The company also mentioned that any funds that were temporarily blocked during the service interruptions would be automatically refunded, advising individuals to contact their bank if refunds are not processed within 48 hours.

The recurring nature of these DDoS attacks raises questions about the resilience of digital payment systems, especially as mobile and online banking become increasingly integral to daily transactions. The Polish Minister of Digital Affairs, Krzysztof Gawkowski, also confirmed the attack, acknowledging the impact on Poland’s financial infrastructure and reinforcing the need for robust digital security measures.

With digital transactions encompassing a growing share of financial activity, these events underscore the ongoing challenges in securing payment systems from cyber threats, urging continuous improvements in digital resilience strategies.

Info: Polish Learner News is a service from ‘Let’s Learn Polish’, a language school dedicated to teaching Polish. We offer a variety of online courses designed to accommodate different learning styles, helping students understand how to learn Polish fast.