Experts Warn Of Increased Cyber Threats To Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Experts at Palo Alto Networks, a leading cybersecurity firm, and its threat intelligence unit, Unit 42, foresee a surge in cyberattacks targeting essential services during the Olympic Games Paris 2024. This prediction follows recent cybersecurity simulations conducted in Paris.

Unit 42 has identified several key threats that organisations should consider as they prepare for the Games. These include potential third-party disruptions impacting supply chains, with ransomware operators likely to target suppliers and supporting infrastructure rather than directly attacking the Olympics. Critical service areas such as transportation, hospitality, event management, telecommunications, media, payment processing, utilities, safety and security are all at risk.

Potential Financial Threats

Threat actors are expected to continue conducting Business Email Compromise (BEC) and financial fraud. According to Unit 42 research, the average payout per successful BEC incident currently exceeds USD 500,000 (AED 1,836,505 million).

Haider Pasha, Chief Security Officer at Palo Alto Networks for EMEA and LATAM regions, stated: "As people from around the globe come together at a renowned event such as the Olympics, there are more chances of facing serious cyber threats. Our threat intelligence team, Unit 42, has experienced cyber threats at similar sporting events in the past – such as the 2022 FIFA World Cup – and understand the importance of creating a strong security infrastructure, especially through our ongoing research analysing motives, intents, and capabilities of threat actors."

Impact on Hospitality Services

A cyberattack on hospitality services catering to guests attending the event could compromise guest information. It could also disrupt hotel reservations and entertainment services. This would lead to loss of revenue and dissatisfied guests while tarnishing the event's wider reputation.

Pasha added: "During the event, the biggest threat is expected to be financially motivated crimes. Cyber-enabled fraud is a common way to illegally get money from both businesses and individuals and plays a significant role in this concern."

Geopolitical Tensions

Due to geopolitical tensions, there could also be disruptive or destructive operations by threat actors aiming to disrupt system availability or influence campaigns. These operations might compromise data integrity. Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 has observed an increase in politically motivated sabotage over the last two years.

Pasha concluded: "Leading up to The Eurovision Song Contest, attendees were targeted with phishing attacks and general scams around fake hotel bookings. Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 is seeing similar tactics ahead of the upcoming Olympics with false listings of hotel accommodations that are lower in price and designed to attract unwary visitors."

Ransomware Threats

In 2023 alone, Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 observed nearly 4,000 posts from ransomware leak sites. This marks a 49% increase from the previous year. For this year's Olympic Games Paris 2024, Unit 42 has orchestrated a cyber vigilance program aimed at protecting critical enterprises involved in organising and rolling out the Games.