With countless Olympics-linked commercial activities, services and events ready to launch, fraudsters and cyber hackers want to make YOU their victim!

High-profile sporting events such as the Olympics offer prime opportunities for cyberattackers due to the network-connected environments and increased digital transactions.

In recent years, there has been a marked surge in sophisticated cyberattacks targeting major sporting events, such as the instance of the social media account of Amélie Oudéa-Castéra (the minister in charge of sports in France), being hacked. The convergence of large crowds, extensive media coverage and critical infrastructure presents an attractive target for threat actors seeking to disrupt operations, steal sensitive data or generally cause widespread chaos.

These threats are not limited to those attending the games in-person. High-profile events also provide limitless opportunities for scammers to launch phishing attacks against unsuspecting event-goers around the world. For instance, at least 334 victims fell prey to Taylor Swift concert ticket scams. 

To keep safe during the Olympics sports frenzy, remember the reminders below, contributed by cyber experts from Keeper Security. 

To keep safe during the Olympics sports frenzy, remember the reminders below, contributed by cyber experts from Keeper Security.

  • Beware of event-linked phishing scams

    • During the Olympics, these scams could appear to be from official Olympic organizations, sponsors or legitimate news sources, supposed offering exclusive access to event tickets, free live streams, prize winnings or urgent account verifications. However, the links lead to counterfeit websites designed to steal personal and financial information or could contain an attachment that downloads malware onto the user’s device.

    Do not open attachments or click on links from unknown sources. Verify the source requesting any information from you, and check all links you receive. Scammers also use social engineering to manipulate users by finding and using basic personal information about their victims online to appear more genuine. Be on the lookout for bad actors attempting to impersonate a friend or family member in urgent need of money to buy tickets or place bets on games.

  • Mind your password hygiene

    • When creating accounts to stream the games on your smart devices or get event news updates, make sure to use passkeys and complex non-reused passwords. Implementing multi-factor authentication provides an additional layer of security that will protect against most hacking attempts.

  • Think twice before using pirated event streaming websites

    • Sports fans often turn to the internet in search of free streams — frequently resulting in sacrificed security. While there are legitimate websites and apps that will stream the Olympics for free, websites that host illegal streams may also host ads for questionable content and contain malicious links that lead to malware being installed on your smart device.

  • Watch out for ticket scams

    • Scammers will create convincing websites to mimic official ticketing platforms, offering seats that either do not exist or are vastly overpriced. Only buy tickets from reputable sellers that offer a secure payment system and recourse if the tickets transaction fails.

    The Olympics are also a time when more fans are looking to win money punting on the game results, and scammers are ready to take advantage. They may promise large prizes to winners but once they collect the entry fees/bets/personal information, they disappear, and winners never receive their payout but may receive surprises (hackings and data exfiltrations) well after the Olympics are over.

  • Avoid free Wi-Fi networks and charging stations

    • At Olympics-linked public events that will be sprouting up worldwide, public Wi-Fi will a key battleground for cybercriminals, and guests should never be used to send any personal, financial or other sensitive information. One of the most prominent cyber threats related to public Wi-Fi is the man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack. Since anyone can join a public Wi-Fi network, you have no idea who is watching or intercepting your online data. Fans should also avoid public USB charging stations. Cybercriminals can load malware onto these charging stations to maliciously access your device. If using a public Wi-Fi network for some reason, use a VPN service to act as the trusted agent in the middle.

By keeping up their guard up against these threats and following cybersecurity best practices, sports fans will be far less likely to fall victim to cybercrime.