The Olympic Games Paris 2024 was by most accounts a highly successful Olympics. Some 10,000 athletes from 204 nations competed in 329 events over 16 days. But before and during the event, authorities battled Olympic-size cybersecurity threats coming from multiple directions.
In preparation for expected attacks, authorities took several proactive measures to ensure the security of the event.
Cyber vigilance program
The Paris 2024 Olympics implemented advanced threat intelligence, real-time threat monitoring and incident response expertise. This program aimed to prepare Olympic-facing organizations for emerging cyber threats by offering a blueprint for cybersecurity strategies.
High alert and incident monitoring
The French Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) was on high alert throughout the Olympics, monitoring for attacks that could disrupt critical operations like organizing committees, ticketing, venues and transport.
Extensive use of AI
The Paris Olympics used AI to secure critical information systems, protect sensitive data and raise awareness within the Games ecosystem. Additionally, under France’s Olympics and Paralympics Games Law, a pilot program allowed the use of “algorithmic video surveillance.” Because of Europe’s strong privacy laws, the surveillance did not allow the use of biometric identification or automated data matching. Instead, AI scanned video for scenarios, such as abandoned bags, the presence of weapons, unusual crowd movements and fires.
Collaboration and training
French authorities collaborated with international organizations and conducted extensive training for cybersecurity teams. They focused on understanding threat actor tactics and employed frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK to anticipate and mitigate potential attacks.
Despite the precautions, the Grand Palais, a venue hosting Olympic events, was hit by a ransomware attack. French authorities quickly responded with containment measures, showcasing their preparedness to handle such incidents.
How did the Olympic cybersecurity measures hold up?
Sifting through available facts in the aftermath, the reality of the threats is becoming clearer.
French authorities announced that more than 140 cyberattacks struck the games, but did not disrupt events. ANSSI detected 119 “low-impact” “security events” and 22 incidents where malicious actors successfully gained access to information systems between July 26 and August 11, 2024. Many of these caused system downtime, often through denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.
Other attempted cyberattacks were aimed at Paris, but not directly at the Olympic venue infrastructure. For example, the Grand Palais and some 40 other museums in France were targeted by a ransomware attack in early August, which was thwarted due to rapid response.
Thwarting a wide swath of potential threats
Authorities had to battle not only attacks coming through the global internet but also local threats. The Olympic Games is unique in that it attracts government officials from France and all over the world, then places them in close proximity to large numbers of unvetted international visitors. Spies and data thieves no doubt saw this as a rare opportunity to steal confidential data of high monetary and geopolitical value. A range of techniques enables this kind of data theft, including Wi-Fi hotspot man-in-the-middle attacks and theft of physical devices.
Well before the games, Olympic organizers battled with ticket scams. Researchers at threat intelligence provider QuoIntelligence found that fraudulent websites were selling fake tickets to the Olympics, mainly to Russians unable to buy legitimate tickets because of European sanctions imposed because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Organizers identified 77 fake ticket resale sites.
One of the most prominent threats was the spread of disinformation. Russian groups, such as Storm-1679, widely believed to be a spinoff of Russia’s Internet Research Agency “troll farm,” had been using AI-generated content to create fake news and images, aiming to discredit the International Olympic Committee and instill fear among potential attendees. These campaigns often involve fabricated stories about terrorism and other threats, leveraging AI to enhance their credibility and reach.
In the end, despite enormous efforts by malicious actors, state-sponsored attackers and others, the Games succeeded without major disruption, violence or data theft.
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