Page 173 - Cyber Defense eMagazine July 2024

Pre-event Security Risks

If you are heading out to the games in July and buying tickets, beware of scam websites attempting to
sell fake resale tickets. In recent months, more than 300 scam websites have been identified, an
extremely frightening number. So, how do you avoid falling victim to these scams? Be mindful that you
are only purchasing tickets from the official Paris 2024 website: https://tickets.paris2024.org or
https://ticket-resale.paris2024.org for resale tickets. Always double check the URL as there will be many
variation URLs, apps and websites with very small differences that are fraudulent. Moreover, beware of
buying tickets from individuals advertising on platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and
Telegram, as you can’t ever be certain what the person is selling is actually real.

When it comes to your data, it is important to know that scam sites aim to capture your personal
information. Bad actors will try to obtain your phone number and email, and tell you that they will be back
in touch once the tickets you are looking for become available. On the official Olympics website, or via
any genuine site, you will never be asked for your full login details and will only ever be asked for your
payment details for tickets on real websites or the official Olympics app. If you are reading this too late
and think you may have been duped, contact your bank, block your card immediately and report the
scam.

Beware of Malicious Data Collection

With millions of people traveling to Paris this summer for the Olympic games, cybercriminals are
preparing themselves to attack on all fronts, one of which is through guest Wi-Fi networks that can easily
be corrupted. For all of you who think logging into public Wi-Fi networks is safe, think again.
Cybercriminals can easily create open Wi-Fi hotspots disguised as legitimate and free networks, which if
connected to, can compromise devices and install dangerous malware. To make matters worse, bad
actors can also use these tactics to launch Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks, where attackers interrupt
an existing conversation or data transfer to steal login credentials, account details and credit card
numbers. Once an unsuspecting user connects to the free, malicious Wi-Fi hotspot that the attacker
created, the bad actor has full visibility into the exchange. The last thing anyone wants is to have to
cancel credit cards and spend hours on the phone with banks, credit card companies while trying to enjoy
the games.

What About Location Tracking and Biometric Data Collection?

It's no secret that the level of video surveillance across 41 venues at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games is
predicted to be one of the biggest records broken this year, going way beyond previous Olympics. Why
this level of surveillance you may be wondering? Despite its controversy, the French government sees it
as a necessity to prevent terrorist attacks and help protect millions of attendees and athletes. Many have
expressed concerns about how the data collected will be processed and used in the future. For many,
they will feel at ease to know that facial recognition will not be applied to the footage at this year's games,
rather reliance will be placed heavily on body scanners, according to officials.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – July 2024 Edition 173
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