Fortifying Cyber Defenses for the 2024 Paris Olympics

As the 2024 Olympics in Paris commence on July 26, an audience of a billion people is anticipated to watch from afar, with hundreds of thousands attending in person. Among the crowd, there will be some aiming to exploit the global attention for malicious purposes.

A recent report from cybersecurity firm DataDome projects that 4 billion cyberattacks will occur during the event, targeting businesses in various related sectors.

The industries at risk include travel, hospitality, ticketing, retail, media, sports betting, financial services, social networks, and public sector infrastructure. These attacks are likely to employ a variety of techniques, such as sophisticated botnets, ransomware, credential stuffing, account takeovers, social engineering, and other forms of online fraud.

Vincent Strubel, head of France’s national cybersecurity agency ANSSI, mentioned to the Associated Press that the anticipated cyber threats against the 2024 Summer Games are without precedent. The agency is preparing for a surge of malicious activity, far surpassing the 450 million cyberattacks recorded during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“Cyberattacks will occur during both the Olympics and the Paralympics,” Strubel stated during a May briefing. “Some will be minor. Some will be significant but will not impact the Games. There might be some that are severe enough to affect the Games.”

Preparing for Cybersecurity During the 2024 Olympics

“The Olympics pose a unique challenge owing to the massive volume of digital interactions,” warned Marie Vandewalle, a threat analyst at cybersecurity firm Kaspersky. She added, “Businesses need to invest in advanced threat detection and response systems to remain ahead of cybercriminals.”

Jake Moore from ESET, another security software provider, stressed the need for “multi-layered security approaches, including user education and real-time monitoring.”

DataDome, headquartered in France and the United States, is already offering French companies a premium version of its new SOC (security operations center) monitoring service, to help mitigate the anticipated volume of threats.

“The period surrounding the 2024 Olympics is expected to be critical for cybersecurity,” said DataDome Chief Strategy Officer Benjamin Barrier. “The cyberthreats will be substantial since the Games will draw global attention to France, presenting a ‘golden’ opportunity for cybercriminals to cause disruption. DataDome’s SOC service enables cybersecurity teams to identify and neutralize threats before they significantly impact business operations,” he explained.

To help deter and fend off expected attacks, businesses can employ various strategies including advanced bot detection and mitigation, enhancing account security with multi-factor authentication (MFA), and safeguarding digital marketing investments against ad fraud.

Grasping the threat landscape and implementing solid security measures is vital for businesses to safely navigate large-scale events like the 2024 Olympics. Preparing now with forward-thinking security strategies can minimize risks and safeguard businesses—along with their customers—from potential cyber threats during this prominent global event.