The 2026 Winter Olympics will begin on 6 February in Italy, attracting the attention of fans both online and offline. Hundreds of athletes will participate, and the host cities are expected to welcome large crowds. Kaspersky experts have listed the types of threats that may emerge in the context of a major international event, regardless of its location.
The Event Audience as a Target
The Olympics attract thousands of people travelling to the host country. Offline spectators may face unpleasant surprises, such as fake tickets, which scammers distribute. This could result in stolen funds from bank accounts or even compromised cryptocurrency wallet credentials instead of access to their favourite events. Meanwhile, online fans are at risk from fake live streams and fraudulent websites selling merchandise of their favourite athletes.
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Travellers may also encounter fraudulent services posing as cell phone plans that collect and steal personal and financial information. That is why it’s convenient to choose Kaspersky eSIM Store to always stay connected, avoiding potential fraudulent services and physical SIM card hassles.
Attacks on athletes
Cybercriminals may exploit publicly available information and the popularity of the participating athletes. Other scenarios might be targeted phishing attacks and deepfake-based operations aimed at data theft or blackmail. These should be of particular concern, as well as the potential hijacking of social media accounts. In addition, athletes may face risks of ‘doxxing’ — the public exposure of private information — and other forms of tech-enabled abuse, which can impact personal safety.
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Threat actors may also take advantage of vulnerabilities in online security, particularly through data leaks that affect users’ personal information. The Data Leak Checker feature in Kaspersky Premium enables users to identify potential compromises in their accounts, alerting them to any risks of exposure.
Urban infrastructure attacks
Both profit-driven and other types of threat actors may target critical city systems, including transportation, utilities, communication networks, and vulnerable public Wi‑Fi, with the aim of disrupting services or compromising operational stability. According to a 2024 study by Kaspersky, conducted ahead of the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, nearly 25 per cent of the approximately 25,000 free Wi-Fi hotspots analysed in the city were found to have weak or no encryption, putting users’ personal and banking data at risk of theft.
These attacks can be carried out using malware, network intrusions, or manipulation of connected systems, potentially affecting city operations and services relied upon by residents and visitors. Using security solutions such as Kaspersky Premium along with a VPN will help protect data by encrypting the Internet connection and securing online activity.
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Ransomware
Ransomware actors, seeking maximum profit, may view mass events and the related entities, such as vendors or other organisations in the supply chain, as high-value targets. To maximise financial gain from the high demand to attend the event in person, such attacks can target hotel networks in the host city, as well as stadiums, official ticket sales platforms and other event resources.
APT attacks
Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actors also consider large international events as strategically significant targets due to their global visibility, high concentration of critical IT infrastructure contractors and complex supply chains. A prime example of such an attack was the Olympic Destroyer, used against the IT infrastructure at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. In this attack, the malware spread within the organisers’ network using compromised credentials and was aimed at sabotaging and disrupting the operation of the event.
READ ALSO: From London to Lagos: Why retailers everywhere must prepare for the next wave of cyberattacks
Hacktivism attacks
Hacktivist actors may launch campaigns targeting event-related organisations to achieve their strategic goals and public attention. These offensive operations could take the form of data theft and leaks, misinformation, or the disruption of the systems involved in the event, such as broadcast infrastructure or ticketing platforms, potentially affecting both the spectators and organisations.
“Events on the scale of the Olympic Games typically draw significant attention from cybercriminals, and potential threats can take many forms, affecting spectators, cities’ infrastructure and the athletes themselves, as well as millions of people accessing with digital services before, during and after the event. The international dimension and big audience make such events especially attractive targets for sophisticated actors, who pose serious threats that everyone involved should be prepared for,” said Igor Kuznetsov, Director of Global Research & Analysis Team at Kaspersky.
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