RCB Security Alert Triggers Outrage and Website Crashes, Prompting Sharp Opposition Backlash

Opposition politicians and IT experts have slammed the government’s mass distribution of a digital security guide via the Government Centre for Security, citing widespread website crashes and amateurish execution.

Government Centre for Security Sends Nationwide Digital Guide Alert

On Friday morning, the Government Centre for Security sent an alert to recipients nationwide, encouraging them to download a digital version of a “security guide”. The SMS messages appeared a day after a Russian missile fell in the Lublin region.

Comments quickly surfaced online that the website was not working. Users complained that the link would not open or that the page loaded slowly, an experience shared by most newsroom staff who checked it. Marek Gieorgica, director of the Ministry of Digital Affairs’ communications bureau, explained that these were temporary issues related to high traffic volume on the pages, without any technical problems.

Opposition Figures Criticize Government Incompetence and Broken Links

Some opposition politicians criticized the Ministry of Interior and Administration for sending the alert for another reason as well. Paulina Matysiak wrote that Marcin Kierwiński sent an enigmatic message with a link via an RCB alert while government websites crashed, leaving people unaware of what was happening or if something serious was afoot.

The MP also pointed out, calling it the “cherry on top”, that as early as 2024, the RCB itself informed the public that genuine alerts do not contain links or requests to click on them. The announcement was intended to warn against fraudsters attempting to trick people into opening dangerous websites.

Ministers Clash Over System Performance and Disinformation Claims

PiS MP Łukasz Kmita commented on the X platform that in the face of real threats, a state managed by Donald Tusk’s team looks like it is made of cardboard and tied with binder twine. MSWiA head Marcin Kierwiński replied, asking him to stop spreading disinformation and stating that the link is correct and works.

In response, the PiS MP posted a video showing him attempting to access the Security Guide by clicking the link attached to the RCB alert, which showed the page did not respond. Kmita commented that it was another embarrassment and questioned how long Tusk would tolerate it.

IT Sector Mocks the Government Over Self-Inflicted DDoS Attack

The government alert was also criticized by Piotr Müller from the Rozwój Plus association, who stated that simple advice includes not sending links to several or a dozen million people to avoid triggering a DDoS attack. He accused the government of hacking themselves and running a DDoS test.

Müller remarked that it was amateurism that makes one’s head hurt, noting his background in the IT sector and claiming the entire industry was laughing at amateurs in charge of national security. KO MP Konrad Frysztak responded to Müller’s accusations by recalling a previous incident involving a missile falling on Polish territory on April 22, 2023.

Contents of the Official Security Guide

The Security Guide includes information regarding alarm signals and warning messages, along with recommendations on preparing an evacuation backpack containing bottled water, a first aid kit, documents, and cash. It also outlines instructions on what to do if unable to shelter in a designated safe area, the locations of which can be found at municipal offices, State Fire Service units, or Voluntary Fire Brigades.

The Ministry of Interior and Administration, the Ministry of National Defence, and the RCB had been working on the crisis guide since early 2025, involving nearly 60 experts from various fields. The brochure is modeled on a similar guide published by the Swedish government.