Photo: The Canadian Press
Canadian officials are warning that major international sporting events are prime targets for cybercriminals and hacktivists looking to fatten their wallets, promote their causes or pilfer secrets. Torchbearer Didier Drogba of France holds the torch to light the cauldron at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, southern France, Thursday, May 9, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Daniel Cole
Canadian officials warn that major international sporting events are prime targets for cybercriminals and hacktivists looking to fatten their wallets, promote their causes or pilfer secrets.
A new bulletin from the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security says criminals operating online will very likely try to extort organizations involved in — or located near — major sporting events.
It says they may also try to ensnare individuals, including spectators, through phishing emails and malicious websites.
The bulletin issued today notes an incident in which the email account of the managing director of a Premier League soccer club was compromised via a phishing email.
It says major sporting events provide an opportunity for hacktivists to widely promote their causes through website defacements, denial-of-service attacks and hack-and-leak operations.
The centre warns that state-sponsored cyberthreat actors could also target high-profile individuals and organizations involved in events with the aim of collecting sensitive information or gathering foreign intelligence.
