What are the cyber threats to the Winter Olympics?

"Major sporting events are popular targets for cyber attackers. There are therefore plenty of risks for the Winter Olympics, which will take place next month in the Italian cities of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. What can we expect from the digital battle taking place behind the scenes of the sport? Unit 42 from Palo Alto Networks provides an overview. Critical infrastructure is under constant pressure both domestically and internationally. Global events, from climate summits to sports tournaments, offer attackers a unique opportunity"

"Nowadays, digital security is just as much a priority for local staff as physical security. Yet it is possible to use credible phishing emails, spoofed Wi-Fi locations, and DDoS attacks to extra effect. Unit 42 lists the upcoming Winter Olympics as a favorite target for cybercriminals and state hackers. The event offers an environment full of high-value targets, consists of critical infrastructure, and is likely to generate geopolitical tension."

"The so-called Olympic Destroyer campaign is believed to have been carried out by the Russian military intelligence service GRU. From December 2017 to February 2018, attack attempts were made with the general target of the Winter Olympics via countless potential victims. Athletes, officials, South Korean citizens, sponsors; none of these groups were spared. Initially, this series of attacks appeared to involve multiple threat actors, even though Olympic Destroyer was centrally coordinated."

Upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo present significant cyber risk to event infrastructure, participants, and supporting organizations. Critical infrastructure faces constant domestic and international pressure during global events. Attackers exploit high-profile gatherings to access data from prominent individuals and disrupt operations. Common techniques include credible phishing emails, spoofed Wi‑Fi hotspots, and distributed denial-of-service attacks. Past Games experienced diverse cyber incidents, with Paris 2024 showing a peak in DDoS activity and PyeongChang 2018 suffering the large-scale Olympic Destroyer campaign. Olympic Destroyer targeted athletes, officials, citizens, and sponsors and appeared centrally coordinated while initially masquerading as multiple threat actors.

Read at Techzine Global