Ready, Steady, Secure – All Eyes on Paris as Sponsors Become Prime Cyber Targets
As the Olympic Games kick off on July 26th, there’s a heightened threat of cyberattacks in Paris, especially targeting key sponsors and those closely associated with the event. All involved parties should be hyper vigilant against cyber-attacks such as ransomware, identity management breaches, and physical attacks on hardware like CCTV and ticket gates.
According to the NTT Corporation, the Tokyo 2021 Games experienced an estimated 450 million cyberattacks. Businesses are at their most vulnerable during periods of high user traffic because increased activity strains security infrastructures, making it easier for cybercriminals to exploit weaknesses and infiltrate systems.
“Organisations associated with the games will soon enter an IT ‘freeze’ period, meaning their systems will be left as they are to avoid any periods of inaccessibility or disruption,” said Bernard Montel, EMEA Technical Director and Security Strategist at Tenable. “Whilst this makes sense, it also makes systems incredibly vulnerable because of a lack of proactive security updating.”
Securing computing environments and infrastructure from cybersecurity threats requires a combination of resources, people, and technology.
For those at risk throughout July, Tenable recommends:
- Patch and Permission: Conduct a full inventory check of all software updates, apply patches, and revise user permissions.
- Bolster User Access: Identify admin accounts and strengthen access with multi-factor authentication.
- No ID, Not Getting In: Carefully consider access and identity management, creating accounts only in exceptional circumstances.
- Behaviour Monitoring: Implement continuous monitoring for signs of abnormal behaviour or suspicious activity.
- Stand By for Action: Ensure security teams are on standby, ready to take immediate action if a critical vulnerability is identified.
“The Olympic motto is Citius, Altius, Fortius, meaning Faster, Higher, Stronger. While Olympians live and breathe this sentiment, so too do the hackers and scammers preparing to exploit the Games,” Montel continued.
“There are many sponsors and suppliers preparing to successfully deliver Paris 2024, all of whom will have dedicated infrastructure and resources. Unfortunately, this makes them prime targets for hackers over the next month.”
Tenable provides holistic visibility into OT networks and critical infrastructure, such as those targeted in the Paris Games. For further information, visit www.tenable.com.
