Page 55 - Cyber Defense eMagazine October 2023

A perfect storm and an exposed target

Such advance thinking is especially warranted. The symbolism of the Olympic Games, and Paris’ recent
history as a terrorist target, will mee the current geopolitical issues linked to the war in Ukraine and the
question of the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes to create a perfect storm of a privileged
target that is potentially exposed.

The response has been to task ANSSI with the cybersecurity of the Games and all digital protection of
the sporting event. A budget of 10mn euros has been dedicated to conducting security audits, and a third
of the agency's teams will be dedicated to the Games by their opening.

ANSSI also announced the holding of “several crisis exercises” in 2023, spanning not only cyberattacks
that target sports infrastructures but also the numerous elements of the supply chain - supporting the
Games such as the French Anti-Doping Agency and businesses involved in transport, timing services,
ticketing and other functions.

Such anticipation and preparation is justified. Last April, the technological management of the Paris
Olympics predicted a likelihood of cyberattacks “eight to ten times” higher than those targeting the Tokyo
Games in 2020.

Identifying the attack and threat

What does an attack amidst such a perfect storm look like? One example is the attack which targeted
the computer system of the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games in 2018, which remained famous under
the name "Olympic Destroyer". More recently, on the eve of the NATO Summit in Lithuania on July 11,
the city of Vilnius suffered several distributed denial of service (DDoS) cyberattacks, targeting the
websites of the municipality.

Both the NATO Summit and the Paris Games share the symbolism of Ukrainian membership and
sovereign recognition. It is reasonable to expect an organisation such as RomCom, located in Russia,
whose campaign of phishing aimed to break into participants' computers at the NATO Summit, will
attempt to hit the Games.

The 2024 Games present a major strategic challenge. The events will be spread over fifteen sites and
eleven for the Paralympic Games, not counting the sites in Île-de-France and the stadiums throughout
the Metropolis and in Tahiti. These are all computer structures to monitor and protect.

Despite significant preparation, the event will require rapid agility and the ability to intervene quickly, in
the event of a security risk. Efficiency, speed and precision will be the hallmarks of a successful defence.

Identifying and qualifying the threat remains a major challenge. This involves mapping all assets
(PCs/laptops, tablets, laptops) present on the information system(s) concerned, in order to exclude
compromised assets. But it is only the first step.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – October 2023 Edition 55
Copyright © 2023, Cyber Defense Magazine. All rights reserved worldwide.