Olympic games have now become a phenomenon that brings entire nations of the world together. However, events like the Olympics attract people with malicious intentions as well. The French government has admitted that there will be no Games without cyber attacks, but we can limit these attacks by practicing advanced cyber security protocols.

ANSSI is the organization created for the strategy management and prevention of cyber attacks at Games. ANSSI has stated that “the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games are likely to attract the attention of various malicious cyber actors who may seek to take advantage of the event to gain visibility and make their claims known, damage the image and prestige of competitions such as those of France, or simply seek financial gains through extortion.

Understanding Cyber Threats:

Cyber threats are the harmful activities performed by cyber criminals having malicious intent. They can steal or damage any system’s information with phishing attacks, malware attacks, and fake ticket scams.

Phishing Attacks:

Phishing attacks are used by cyber criminals to deceive people and get their sensitive information. You may receive an email that contains Fake ticket offers, event updates, or merchandise discounts that lead to phishing websites. They convince users to click on the links by using threatening language or giving scam offers. Moreover, they can create look-alike websites that mimic official Olympic pages to capture login credentials and personal information.

Never rely on such emails, always double-check by using official channels. No legal bank or any legitimate site ever asks you for your personal or financial details, so always try to avoid such emails.

Malware Attacks:

Malware attacks are secretly sending and installing some malicious software into your system that can damage your data or spy on you. Cyber attackers send malware in the form of links in phishing emails. You can also get malware installed if you visit some malicious website or try to download any software from some unreliable source.

These attacks aim to overwhelm online systems, causing disruptions to broadcasting, ticketing, and other essential services during major events like the Olympics. To protect your system from malware attacks download and install reliable anti-malware software such as Malwarebytes.

Fake Tickets Scams:

Fake ticket scams are the kind of fraud where you pay for a ticket but never receive it. Or some scammer can sell you a fake ticket for the amount of the original ticket. This is common during large events like the Olympics when all the tickets are sold out. So you must be cautious before handing over your money. Never try to buy from any seller you find on social media.

If you are purchasing tickets from some individual dealer and asking for a direct bank transfer to pay for tickets, it could be a big red flag. Always use official websites and authorized channels to purchase tickets and pay through a debit or credit card for more protection.

Securing Your Emails:

During big events like this Summer Olympics 2024, It is crucial to protect your data with robust cyber security practices. You can secure your Email communication by following some protective measures.

Use end-to-end encryption

Always try to use secure email services like ProtonMail or StartMail rather than traditional providers for enhanced data protection during communication. Encrypted Emails ensure that no one can see your chats except you and the receiver. This helps to secure important information during this Summer Olympics 2024 which is at high risk of cyber attacks due to the high volume of communication.

ProtonMail:

ProtonMail is a secure email service provider. It has end-to-end encryption and zero access features ensuring that no one can see or check your emails and content. Not even the service provider can access your content. Get ProtonMail today and communicate more securely during this Olympics season.

StartMail:

Startmail is designed with privacy in mind to provide robust end-to-end one-click encryption. It does not track your email activity or scan your emails for advertising purposes, offering a higher level of confidentiality. You can send encrypted emails even to users who do not use StartMail or other encrypted email services. Start today with Startmail for secure communication and end-to-end encryption during this mega event of the Summer Olympics 2024.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication:

Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) on most of your accounts to add an extra layer of security.  Secure Email providers like ProtonMail and StartMail give you an option to enable 2FA authentication which makes it difficult for hackers to attack your account.

ProtonMail:

Once you have created a ProtonMail account you can enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) by following the method:

Ø  Go to Settings > Security > Two-Factor Authentication.

After this, you can follow the instructions to link your account with an authentication app. Even if someone gains access to your password, they cannot access your account without the second code.

Nordpass:

NordPass is a password manager developed and designed to securely store and manage your passwords, credit card information, and other sensitive data. With Nordpass you only need to remember one master password to access everything.

Ø  You can use Nordpass built-in password generator to generate strong unique passwords for enhanced security.

Ø  It has an autofill and auto-save function making it easier to manage all passwords for different accounts.

Ø  NordPass also supports 2FA, adding an extra layer of security to your password vault.

Tips and tools to avoid phishing scams:

Avoiding phishing scams is crucial for maintaining cybersecurity, especially during high-profile events like the Olympics. Here are some tips and tools to help you stay protected:

KnowBe4:

 This is the security company that provides training to the employees on detection and recognition of phishing emails. KnowBe4's Phish Alert button gives your users a safe way to forward email threats to the security team for analysis.

Malwarebytes:

Malwarebytes offers advanced protection against malware, including phishing attempts. It can detect and block malicious websites and email attachments. Download and install malwarebytes to your system for protection against malware and phishing attempts.

Real-World Incidents:

“The 2021 Summer Games in Tokyo reported that it faced 450 million attempted security events.” These include email spoofing, phishing, fake websites, and ransomware. In the 2018 Winter Olympics, Hostile actors were able to infect the Pyeongchang Olympics servers with malware.  Summer Olympics 2024 is also the target of cybercriminals to exploit and steal sensitive data and damage the mega event.

Conclusion:

These incidents show that cyber attacks are a real threat to mega events like the Olympics 2024. Hundreds and thousands of sports fans who will travel to Paris to watch a competition live may be directly affected by the cyber attacks. The threats in 2024 are much more complex as compared to 2018 or 2021. Everyone should be prepared with their own cyber security tools.

Some of the tools discussed above can be helpful. ProtonMail and StartMail can be an easy way to secure communication while you can use Nordpass to manage your passwords and avoid phishing scams. Malwarebytes can help protect your data securely. The best is to use all these with a good understanding of different kinds of scams so you can recognize and avoid them personally.