In the complex and dynamic world of cyber threats, no organization is an isolated island. Effective defense requires not only internal safeguards, but also cooperation, information sharing and coordination at the national and international levels. At the heart of this security ecosystem are specialized units, known around the world as CERTs (Computer Emergency Response Teams) - Computer Emergency Response Teams.
For many entrepreneurs, CERT is sometimes seen as a distant, state institution that is contacted only as a last resort. However, this is a misleading and limiting approach. In fact, national teams such as CERT Poland (operating within NASK structures) are a key partner for business - a center of knowledge, coordination and support in the fight against cybercrime. In this guide, we will explain what CERT is, its history, how it works and the role it plays in protecting Poland’s cyberspace. We will show why every company should know how and when to contact it, and how its activities complement commercial incident response services.
Shortcuts
- What is CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team) and what is its mission?
- What is the history of the formation of the first incident response teams?
- How does CERT Polska (NASK) differ from other teams, such as sector or commercial ones?
- Types of CERT/CSIRT teams
- How does CERT coordinate the response to massive attacks and threats in the country?
- What types of security incidents can and should be reported to CERT?
- What does the process of reporting and handling an incident by a CERT team look like in practice?
- How does CERT work with companies, government and international partners?
- What publications, reports and warnings issued by CERT are useful for business?
- Should every large company have its own internal CSIRT/CERT type team?
- What role does CERT play in creating awareness and education about cyber threats?
- In what situations is contacting CERT not only an option for a company, but even an obligation?
- How do incident response services from nFlo complement CERT operations and how can we help your company directly manage a crisis?
What is CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team) and what is its mission?
CERT, or Computer Emergency Response Team, is a specialized group of experts whose main task is to provide services and support in the prevention, detection and response to computer security incidents. Other frequently used names for such teams are CSIRT (Computer Security Incident Response Team) or simply IRT (Incident Response Team). Regardless of the name, their mission remains the same.
The fundamental mission of any CERT-type team is to coordinate and support the handling of security incidents in its defined area of responsibility (the so-called constituency). For a national team, such as CERT Poland, that area is the entire cyberspace of a country. For a sectoral CERT, it might be the financial or energy industry, and for an internal, corporate CERT, it might be a particular organization. This mission is accomplished through three main types of activities.
First, reactive activities, that is, direct handling of reported incidents. This includes analyzing malware, coordinating efforts to block attacks, assisting in remediation and supporting investigations. Second, proactive activities, which aim to prevent incidents before they happen. These include publishing warnings about new threats, issuing security recommendations, conducting audits or organizing training. Third, security quality management activities, such as building awareness, education and promoting best practices in one’s community.
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What is the history of the formation of the first incident response teams?
The concept of a centralized incident response team was born out of the need of the moment, in response to the first ever major security incident of global scale. That event was the Morris Internet worm attack, which in November 1988 infected and crippled thousands of computers on the ARPANET network, the forerunner of today’s Internet. The attack, created by student Robert Morris, spread at lightning speed, exploiting vulnerabilities in popular network services.
The chaos caused by the Morris worm made it clear to the U.S. scientific and military community that any organized structure capable of coordinating defense and response to this type of threat was lacking. Individual administrators acted on their own, lacking a central point for sharing information about the nature of the attack and how to stop it. In response to this crisis, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) turned to the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh to create such a coordination center.
That’s how, on November 22, 1988, the world’s first team of its kind - CERT/CC (Coordination Center) - was established. Its mission was to become a focal point for collecting information on vulnerabilities and incidents, conducting security research and building awareness in the newly emerging global network. The success and operating model of CERT/CC inspired the creation of similar teams around the world, whether at the national, governmental, academic or commercial level. Thus was born a global ecosystem of response teams that today work together to protect cyberspace.
How does CERT Polska (NASK) differ from other teams, such as sector or commercial ones?
In Poland, as in other countries, there are many different CERT/CSIRT-type teams, which differ in their area of responsibility (constituency), scope of operations and funding model. Understanding these differences is key to knowing who to turn to for a particular problem.
CERT Polska, operating within the structures of the state research institute NASK (Scientific and Academic Computer Network), is a national incident response team. Its area of responsibility is the entire Polish cyberspace. It acts as a central coordination point for the entire country. According to the Law on the National Cyber Security System (KSC), CERT Poland is one of three national-level CSIRTs, along with CSIRT GOV (operating in the ABW and responsible for the government sector) and CSIRT MON (responsible for the Department of National Defense). Its mission is public and state-funded.
Sector teams are created to serve specific industries of strategic importance. An example is the FSC’s CSIRT for the financial sector. Their task is to coordinate activities and share information on industry-specific threats (e.g., attacks on electronic banking systems). They work in close cooperation with the national CERT, but focus on the needs and risks of their sector.
Commercial teams are incident response teams that operate as a service offered by private cyber security companies (such as nFlo). Their area of responsibility is the customers with whom they have a contract. Unlike CERT Poland, which operates at a strategic and coordinating level, commercial teams offer direct, “hands-on” support in managing an incident inside an attacked organization - they conduct post-intrusion analysis, help remove the threat and restore systems. Their activities are operational in nature and are paid for.
Types of CERT/CSIRT teams
| Type of Team | Area of Accountability (Constituency) | Main Role | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| National | Whole country (all internet users) | National coordination, strategic threat analysis, international cooperation. | CERT Polska (NASK) |
| Sectoral | Specific industry (e.g., finance, energy) | Coordination within the sector, analysis of industry-specific risks. | CSIRT KNF |
| Government | Public administration, government agencies | Protection of state infrastructure. | CSIRT GOV (ABW) |
| Commercial | Customers who have purchased the service | Direct operational management of an incident at a client company. | Incident Response nFlo Team |
| Internal (corporate) | Own organization | Incident handling within one large company. | CSIRT of a large corporation |
How does CERT coordinate the response to massive attacks and threats in the country?
In the case of massive, coordinated cyberattack campaigns that affect many organizations in a country simultaneously, the role of a national CERT team, such as CERT Poland, becomes absolutely crucial. Its task is to move from handling individual requests to acting as a central center for coordination and information sharing, allowing for a much more effective defense at the level of the entire country.
When reports of similar incidents from many different sources start arriving at CERT Polska, the team’s analysts immediately start correlating and analyzing them. By combining information from different victims, they are able to build a complete picture of the attack - identifying the common infrastructure used by the attackers (IP addresses, domains), analyzing the malware they use and understanding their tactics. This knowledge, which no individual victim has, is invaluable.
Based on this analysis, CERT Polska is taking a number of coordination actions. First of all, it issues public warnings and security alerts, informing other companies and institutions about the ongoing attack, its characteristics and ways to protect themselves. It develops and distributes Indicators of Compromise (IoC), which is technical data (e.g. IP addresses of C2 servers, hashes of malicious files) that administrators across the country can immediately implement in their security systems (firewalls, antiviruses) to proactively block the threat.
CERT Polska also works with telecom operators, providing them with information on malicious domains or IP addresses in order to block them at the level of the entire national network, which can significantly reduce the scale of the attack. It also coordinates with international partners - other national CERTs - if the attack infrastructure is located outside Poland, and with law enforcement agencies, providing them with technical data that can help apprehend the perpetrators.
What types of security incidents can and should be reported to CERT?
A wide range of security incidents that affect users and systems in Polish cyberspace can and should be reported to a national CERT, such as CERT Poland. Reporting an incident not only allows you to get help, but also contributes to building an overall picture of threats in the country, which helps protect other potential victims.
Among the most frequently reported and handled incidents are those related to malicious software (malware). If a company has fallen victim to a ransomware attack, detected a data-stealing Trojan on its servers, or identified infected workstations that have become part of a botnet, reporting to CERT Poland is highly recommended. The team’s analysts can help analyze the malware sample and identify the infrastructure it is communicating with.
Another important category is social engineering attacks, especially phishing. All phishing campaigns that target a company or its customers should be reported. Reporting a fake website impersonating a bank or company portal allows CERT Polska to take action to block it, which protects other users from being scammed. The receipt of suspicious phishing emails should also be reported.
Other types of incidents worth reporting include DDoS attacks on company servers, detection of security vulnerabilities in popular software, scanning of our network from suspicious IP addresses, as well as any form of illegal content on the Internet, such as material depicting child sexual abuse (pedophilia), which CERT Polska handles as part of its dutynet.pl contact point. Basically, any incident that seems suspicious and may have broader security implications is a good candidate for reporting.
What does the process of reporting and handling an incident by a CERT team look like in practice?
The process of reporting and handling an incident by a professional CERT team, such as CERT Polska, is structured and aims to gather the necessary information as quickly as possible, assess the situation and take appropriate coordination actions.
It all starts with reporting an incident by the affected company, institution or individual. CERT Polska provides several channels for this purpose, the most popular of which is a dedicated form at incident.cert.pl. Email or telephone contact is also possible. In your report, you should provide as many technical details of the incident as possible: the date and time of its occurrence, a description of the observed symptoms, IP addresses and domains involved in the attack, system logs, as well as samples of malware or phishing message content. The more precise the data, the faster and more effective the response will be.
Upon receipt of a ticket, an on-call CERT analyst (known as a handler) performs its initial analysis and classification (triage). He assesses the severity and urgency of the incident, verifies the information provided and assigns the case a unique number (ticket). If additional data is needed, the analyst contacts the notifier.
Next comes the analysis and coordination phase. The CERT team analyzes the evidence provided, such as examining the malware code or infrastructure of the phishing site. Based on this analysis, coordination actions are taken. CERT Poland may contact the hosting provider hosting the phishing site, asking it to block it. It can forward information about malicious domains to telecommunications operators or international partners. At all times it maintains contact with the notifier, informing him of progress and providing recommendations for further action. Once the case is closed, the notifier receives a summary of the actions taken.
How does CERT work with companies, government and international partners?
The effectiveness of a national CERT team rests on its ability to build trust and work effectively with a broad ecosystem of partners. Operating in isolation is impossible. This cooperation takes place on many levels: with the private sector, public administration and the international response team community.
Cooperation with companies is two-way. On the one hand, companies report incidents to CERT Polska, providing valuable “first-hand” data on current threats. On the other hand, CERT Polska shares its expertise with the private sector - it publishes reports, warnings and indicators of compromise (IoC) that companies can use to strengthen their defenses. CERT Polska also runs a partnership program (Partnership for Cyber Security), which formalizes cooperation and information sharing with key enterprises.
Cooperation with public administration is key to ensuring state security. CERT Polska, as one of the national-level CSIRTs, works closely with CSIRT GOV and CSIRT MON, as well as with law enforcement agencies (Police, ABW), providing them with technical support and analytical data in cybercrime investigations. It also cooperates with regulators, such as the FSA and the Office of the Public Prosecutor.
International cooperation is extremely important. Cybercrime knows no borders, and the infrastructure of attacks is often scattered around the world. CERT Polska is a member of major international forums for response teams, such as FIRST (Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams) or Trusted Introducer. Thanks to this cooperation, if an attack on a Polish company is launched from servers located, for example, in the Netherlands, CERT Polska can contact the Dutch national CERT directly, which will take action to block the threat at the source. This global network of trust is the foundation of an effective fight against international cybercrime.
What publications, reports and warnings issued by CERT are useful for business?
National CERTs, such as CERT Poland, are not only response centers, but also invaluable sources of knowledge and analysis on the current threat landscape. Regularly following publications and warnings issued by CERTs is a simple and effective way for any company to stay current and proactively strengthen its defenses.
The most important and useful publication is the annual “Report on the State of Cybersecurity of Poland.” This is a comprehensive study that summarizes the most important trends, statistics and types of incidents observed in Poland in a given year. For managers and security specialists, it is a must-read - it allows them to understand which attacks (e.g. which types of phishing, which ransomware families) are currently the most popular in our country, which in turn allows them to better adjust their defense strategy and training programs for employees.
CERT Polska also regularly publishes warnings about ongoing threats and cyberattack campaigns. These are short, concise messages that inform about ongoing, massive attacks, such as a new phishing campaign impersonating a well-known courier company. These warnings often include specific indicators of compromise (IoCs) - such as addresses of malicious websites or subject lines of fake emails. The company’s IT department can immediately use this information to block access to the indicated addresses on the company’s firewall or tell employees what messages to watch out for.
In addition to reports and warnings, the CERT Polska website also offers a wealth of educational materials, guides and technical analysis on specific malware families or attack techniques. All of these publications are available for free and are an extremely valuable resource to help companies better understand risks and make more informed decisions about their security.
Should every large company have its own internal CSIRT/CERT type team?
The decision to create an in-house incident response team (CSIRT/CERT) is a step that demonstrates an organization’s high maturity in the area of cyber security. While not every company needs such a dedicated unit, for large, complex organizations, especially those in highly regulated industries or those that are a glutton for attackers, it is an investment that pays huge dividends.
The main advantage of having an in-house CSIRT is its deep knowledge of the company’s specifics. The in-house team, unlike external vendors, is very familiar with the organization’s IT architecture, key business processes, specific risks and internal procedures. This knowledge allows for a much faster and more precise response at the time of an incident. The team knows which systems are most critical, who their business owners are and how to isolate them quickly, minimizing the impact on business operations.
The internal CSIRT also plays a key role in proactive activities. It is a natural center of competence for security - it conducts internal risk analyses, monitors systems for anomalies, conducts threat hunting, and is responsible for building awareness and educating employees. He becomes the first line of support for the entire organization on all security issues.
However, creating and maintaining an effective in-house CSIRT is costly and demanding. It requires hiring highly qualified (and expensive) specialists in various fields (malware analysts, computer forensics specialists, pentesters), providing them with appropriate tools (SIEM, EDR) and continuous training. Therefore, it is mainly dedicated to large corporations, financial institutions or companies in the technology sector. For many smaller and medium-sized companies, a more cost-effective and flexible model is to outsource incident response services to specialized third-party companies.
What role does CERT play in creating awareness and education about cyber threats?
Building awareness and educating the public about cyber threats is one of the key and extremely important missions of national CERT teams. The fight against cybercrime is not only about technical measures and incident response, but first and foremost about prevention, the foundation of which is the knowledge and responsible behavior of Internet users - from individual citizens to company employees to system administrators.
CERT Polska is very active in this field. One of its main educational channels is the regular publication of informational materials. The aforementioned annual reports, warnings about current threats or technical analysis are not only a source of knowledge for specialists, but are often written in an accessible way to reach a wider audience. The team also maintains social media profiles, where they provide concise information on the latest phishing campaigns and advice on how to protect against them.
CERT Polska experts regularly speak at industry conferences and seminars, sharing their unique knowledge and experience gained from handling thousands of incidents. They also conduct dedicated training courses for public administrators and private sector representatives, teaching them how to secure systems and respond to attacks.
Cooperation with the media is also an important part of educational activities. CERT Polska is often asked to comment on high-profile cyber attacks or new trends in cybercrime. Thanks to this, reliable and verified information on threats reaches millions of citizens through television, radio and Internet portals, which really contributes to raising the general level of awareness and resilience of the entire society against cyber attacks.
In what situations is contacting CERT not only an option for a company, but even an obligation?
Although in most cases reporting incidents to CERT Polska is voluntary and the result of good practice, there are situations in which making such contact is a legal obligation for a company or institution under specific laws. Failure to comply with this obligation can result in financial penalties.
The main piece of legislation that imposes such an obligation is the Law on the National Cyber Security System (KSC). According to its provisions, so-called key service operators (i.e., companies and institutions in key sectors of the economy, such as energy, transportation, health, finance) and digital service providers (such as online trading platforms, search engines or cloud service providers) have a legal obligation to report serious incidents to the relevant national-level CSIRT (in most cases, this will be CERT Poland).
“Serious incident” is one that causes or is likely to cause a serious deterioration in the quality or interruption of the continuity of a key service. The law precisely defines the thresholds and criteria based on which an incident is classified as serious (e.g., number of users affected, duration of the incident, geographic scope). Notification of such an incident must be made immediately, no later than 24 hours after the incident is detected.
In addition to the KSC Act, the obligation to contact CERT or other authorities (e.g., law enforcement) may arise from other sector-specific regulations. Regardless of legal obligations, any company that is the victim of a major cyber attack, especially if it is massive and may also affect other entities, should, in its own interest, contact CERT Poland to benefit from its expertise and coordination capabilities.
How do incident response services from nFlo complement CERT operations and how can we help your company directly manage a crisis?
The activities of the national CERT team and commercial incident response services, such as those offered by nFlo, are not in competition with each other, but complement each other perfectly. CERT Poland operates at a strategic and coordinating level for the entire country, while nFlo offers direct, operational support inside the attacked organization, helping it get through the crisis step by step.
When your company becomes the target of an attack, CERT Poland can provide you with valuable information about the broader threat landscape, help block malicious infrastructure at the operator level, and coordinate with other victims. However, it is nFlo’s Incident Response team that goes directly into your IT environment to manage the crisis “on the ground.” Our experts perform a detailed forensics analysis to identify the attack vector, determine the scale of the compromise and secure digital evidence.
We help contain and eliminate the threat - whether by isolating infected systems, removing malware, or blocking attacker access. Then, we support you in the process of securely restoring your systems and restoring operations, ensuring that all vulnerabilities that enabled the attack are patched. We act as your external technical arm, complementing the competence of your internal IT team in situations of extreme stress and time pressure.
Once the immediate crisis is contained, our work doesn’t end. We help analyze “lessons learned, ” prepare a detailed report with recommendations, and support you in implementing additional safeguards to strengthen your defenses for the future. We act as your trusted partner to not only put out the fire, but also help rebuild your home and make it more resilient, perfectly complementing the strategic and coordinating role played by CERT Polska.
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