Here’s how World Cups have become a playground for cybercriminals

Microsoft’s latest Cyber Signals report has highlighted threats to large venues and sporting and entertainment events.

The report featured learnings and telemetry from delivering cybersecurity support to critical infrastructure facilities during Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup in 2022.

Colin Erasmus, Chief Operations Officer at Microsoft South Africa, said with major sporting events, like the recent netball and football World Cups, the company anticipates large scale events will continue to attract cyberthreats.

“Cybersecurity threats to large events and venues, especially those in increasingly connected environments, are diverse and complex, and require constant vigilance and collaboration among stakeholders to prevent and mitigate escalation.”

Risks

Erasmus said venue IT systems and arenas contain hundreds of known and unknown vulnerabilities that allow threat actors to target critical business services such as point-of-sale devices, IT infrastructures, and visitor devices.

“The huge swell of attendees and staff that bring data and information with them through their own devices increases the attack surface and can also be targeted through vulnerable event digital amenities, like companion mobile apps, wireless hotspots, and QR codes with malicious URLs.”

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Safeguards

Erasmus said sports, associations, teams, and venues must adopt robust protective measures

“As a first step they should prioritise the implementation of a comprehensive and multi-layered security framework. This includes deploying firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and strong encryption protocols to fortify the network against unauthorised access and data breaches.

“Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify and address any weaknesses within the network infrastructure,” he said.

Erasmus added it is essential to partner with reputable cybersecurity firms to continuously monitor network traffic, detect potential threats in real time, and respond swiftly to any security incidents.

“Knowing safe practices can help enterprises and attendees sidestep becoming victims of data theft or social engineering attacks,” said Erasmus.

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