Security News > 2021 > July > FBI: Cybercriminals Eyeing Broadcast Disruption at Tokyo Olympics

The Tokyo Olympics, set to open Friday night, are already being targeted by threat actors - however, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Cyber Division has issued a chilling warning the Games' TV broadcast is likely to be plagued by attacks, since it will be the only way to view events now that spectators have been barred due to COVID-19 concerns.

"Adversaries could use social-engineering and phishing campaigns in the leadup to the event to obtain access or use previously obtained access to implant malware to disrupt affected networks during the event," the FBI notification said.

The FBI added that in general, the Olympics will attract both run-of-the-mill cybercriminals and nation-state actors who want to "Make money, sow confusion, increase their notoriety, discredit adversaries and advance ideological goals."

The same day the FBI released its warning, the personal data of volunteers and ticket purchasers for the Tokyo Olympics was leaked online.

The 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics was crushed by relentless attacks, including the Olympic Destroyer attack on the Games' Opening Ceremony, the FBI pointed out.

Ransomware groups will undoubtedly be drawn into the possibility of controlling the switch to the games' broadcast and squeezing out a massive payment to turn it back on, Rustici added.

News URL

https://threatpost.com/fbi-cybercriminals-broadcast-disruption-tokyo-olympics/168063/