• TREND MICRO
  • ABOUT
Search:
  • Latest Posts
  • Categories
    • Android
    • AWS
    • Azure
    • Cloud
    • Compliance
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Cybercrime
    • Encryption
    • Financial Services
    • Government
    • Hacks
    • Healthcare
    • Internet of Everything
    • Malware
    • Microsoft
    • Mobile Security
    • Network
    • Privacy
    • Ransomware
    • Security
    • Social Media
    • Small Business
    • Targeted Attacks
    • Trend Spotlight
    • Virtualization
    • Vulnerabilities
    • Web Security
    • Zero Day Initiative
    • Industry News
  • Our Experts
    • Ed Cabrera
    • Rik Ferguson
    • Greg Young
    • Mark Nunnikhoven
    • Jon Clay
    • William “Bill” Malik
  • Research
Home   »   Industry News   »   Hackers will go for gold in Rio Olympics

Hackers will go for gold in Rio Olympics

  • Posted on:July 19, 2016
  • Posted in:Industry News, Security
  • Posted by:Christopher Budd (Global Threat Communications)
0
Hackers will be up to their usual tricks during the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Fresh off the heels of news that Brazilian hackers have turned to Telegram as their replacement for WhatsApp – which these criminals had been using for their surreptitious, sinister communications – the South American nation of more than 200 million is preparing for the finals days leading up to the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympic Games of 2016. And like all large-scale international events, this is one that cyber criminals won't want to miss. 

Readymade cyber attacks

There are certain staples that come with the Olympic games. People start looking out for the iconic rings on certain brand-name products. They being humming that notable tune that NBC plays without fail upon returning to live coverage from a break. Suddenly, a wave of national pride sweeps across the globe, as millions of people cheer their greatest into the record books. 

And then there's the cyber attacks. This Olympic circuit, like any other, every nation in the world in which there are computers, basic internet connection and some sort of stake in the tournament will have to deal with the vultures – a.k.a hackers.   

In a recent article posted on Trend Micro's SimplySecurity, expert Christopher Budd pointed out a few somewhat amusing, albeit no-less hazardous, characteristics of Olympic-based cyber threats. First among them is the fact that many Olympic-themes cyber attacks will look pretty much the same as they always have. Unfortunately, they'll work nonetheless. 

"The good news is – cybercriminals are very predictable in their attacks using the Olympics as a lure," Budd wrote. "The bad news is that they're predictable because the same attacks work year after year. Like sharks, cybercriminals' Olympic-themed attacks don't evolve; they don't need to."

In other words, hackers are already prepared to exploit the games for the purposes of data theft, fraud, phishing and more. 

Are you ready to defend against them?

Budd passed along a few recommendations for how to stay safe during this Olympic season. For one thing, hackers might try to get you to click on malicious links, or download files that may contain ransomware and other forms of malware. They'll try to steal login credentials by telling you to "sign up below" for free Olympic jerseys, and other forms of click-bait material. Social media, websites, blogs and more will all be utilized in bulk phishing schemes aimed at capitalizing on peoples' love of the Olympic games. Even fake applications on third-party app stores are a threat, so always be on the lookout for suspicious content. As long as you keep your eyes open, you should be able to see them coming. 

Budd also recommends that you keep all of your software up to date, including any end-point security solutions that you may currently be running on your devices. 

As for those who will actually be in attendance in Rio, cyber security researchers have implored visitors to be wary of free Wi-Fi hotspots in the city, according to NBC. Many of these networks will not encrypt data traffic, which means that any and all sensitive transfers risk interception, and because they're traversing the web completely unguarded, they're ripe for the plucking. As such, experts recommend using virtual private networks while in Rio during the games. 

In conclusion, fans, viewers and participants of the 2016 Olympic games must be vigilant of cyber threats over the course the next month or so. This year in particular has been one of many firsts, as hackers have ruthlessly targeted hospitals, the electric grid and countless other organizations and their entities.

So be safe, have fun and keep an eye out for cyber crime.  

Related posts:

  1. How Cybercriminals are Participating in “The Most Social” Olympics
  2. Mobile security on high alert ahead of Olympics
  3. Here Come the Olympics (and the Olympic-themed attacks)
  4. Going For the Gold

Security Intelligence Blog

  • Our New Blog
  • How Unsecure gRPC Implementations Can Compromise APIs, Applications
  • XCSSET Mac Malware: Infects Xcode Projects, Performs UXSS Attack on Safari, Other Browsers, Leverages Zero-day Exploits

Featured Authors

Ed Cabrera (Chief Cybersecurity Officer)
Ed Cabrera (Chief Cybersecurity Officer)
  • Ransomware is Still a Blight on Business
Greg Young (Vice President for Cybersecurity)
Greg Young (Vice President for Cybersecurity)
  • Not Just Good Security Products, But a Good Partner
Jon Clay (Global Threat Communications)
Jon Clay (Global Threat Communications)
  • This Week in Security News: Ransomware Gang is Raking in Tens of Millions of Dollars and Microsoft Patch Tuesday Update Fixes 17 Critical Bugs
Mark Nunnikhoven (Vice President, Cloud Research)
Mark Nunnikhoven (Vice President, Cloud Research)
  • Twitter Hacked in Bitcoin Scam
Rik Ferguson (VP, Security Research)
Rik Ferguson (VP, Security Research)
  • The Sky Has Already Fallen (you just haven’t seen the alert yet)
William
William "Bill" Malik (CISA VP Infrastructure Strategies)
  • Black Hat Trip Report – Trend Micro

Follow Us

Trend Micro In The News

  • Trend Micro Offerings Are FedRAMP Authorized and Available on AWS
  • Fujitsu and Trend Micro Demonstrate Solution To Secure Private 5G
  • Trend Micro Receives 5-Star Rating in 2021 CRN® Partner Program Guide
  • Smart Factory Cyber Attacks Knock Out Production for Days
  • Eliminate Hesitations: Security Simplified For Those Building In The Cloud
  • Home and Home Office
  • |
  • For Business
  • |
  • Security Intelligence
  • |
  • About Trend Micro
  • Asia Pacific Region (APAC): Australia / New Zealand, 中国, 日本, 대한민국, 台灣
  • Latin America Region (LAR): Brasil, México
  • North America Region (NABU): United States, Canada
  • Europe, Middle East, & Africa Region (EMEA): France, Deutschland / Österreich / Schweiz, Italia, Россия, España, United Kingdom / Ireland
  • Privacy Statement
  • Legal Policies
  • Copyright © 2017 Trend Micro Incorporated. All rights reserved.