It’s snow joke – sporting occasions are a giant draw for cybercriminals. Be sure you’re not on the dropping facet by following these greatest practices.
02 Feb 2026
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5 min. learn
Cybercriminals have at all times been drawn to main sporting occasions. A mix of worldwide model consciousness and an in depth digital footprint make them a preferred choice for opportunistic scammers. And occasions don’t get a lot larger or higher identified than the Olympics.
Cybercriminals have been trying to capitalize on the Olympics for years – for instance, pretend ticketing websites proliferated manner again through the Beijing 2008 Summer time Olympics. Since then, even some state-aligned menace actors have gotten concerned, disrupting the Pyeongchang 2018 video games through the use of wiper malware that shut down Wi-Fi hotspots and TV feeds, and crippled the back-end servers of the video games’ official app. Some hacktivists are by no means distant both, spying an ideal alternative to attract consideration to their trigger.
However because the world prepares for Milano-Cortina 2026, what are the most typical threats that you need to look out for? And how will you keep protected?
What to be careful for
There are numerous threats that sports activities followers ought to look out for within the days main as much as the occasion, and the 16 days of the video games. They embody:
Phishing makes an attempt
These are unsolicited emails, texts or social media messages impersonating the official organizers of the video games, sponsors or different third events. Sometimes, they may attempt to trick you into getting into your private and monetary data, or clicking on malicious hyperlinks/opening attachments which end in silent malware set up. Examples embody:
- Free streaming hyperlinks that result in malware supply or credential theft
- Particular prize attracts and ‘final likelihood affords’ equivalent to tickets to the video games
- Alerts about cancelled tickets or cost points
Pretend Olympics websites
Some e-commerce websites purporting to promote official tickets, journey and lodging might appear like the actual deal. However they simply need your cash and/or card particulars. Your buy doesn’t exist. In some circumstances, scammers may additionally put pretend listings on real websites and marketplaces, like Airbnb, eBay and Fb Market.
Free and unlawful streaming websites
Some websites provide sports activities followers free entry to video content material from the video games. However these websites may be a hotbed of malware hidden in hyperlinks, plugins and information. They’re additionally filled with video overlay advertisements that aren’t usually only a minor inconvenience. As a substitute, many are usually malicious and once you click on on them, you’ll be redirected to a malicious web site or unwittingly obtain malware in your system.
Pretend apps
Cellular apps masquerading as official Winter Olympics apps may very well comprise infostealing malware or different threats. Such malicious apps are primarily discovered on varied third-party app shops.
web optimization poisoning
Scammers pay for sponsored advertisements or use web optimization strategies to place their malicious web sites on the prime of search outcomes. They could set off drive-by-downloads or attempt to acquire your private data.
Assist scams
For those who complain on social media about a difficulty along with your flight/lodge/tickets, fraudsters might bounce in posing as ‘official assist.’ They don’t actually wish to assist, they simply need your private, monetary and reserving data.
Pretend employment scams
Look out for bogus alternatives to affix the Olympics as a volunteer or paid employee. These are normally designed to both harvest your private data or trick you into paying an upfront ‘charge’ to course of your particulars.
AI-powered scams
Fraudsters are more and more utilizing AI-powered instruments and companies to extend their possibilities of success. They will generate phishing web sites and messages at scale in flawless native languages. They usually may also create lifelike audio and video designed to affect your determination making. Be careful for deepfake movies of well-known athletes searching for to solicit donations for pretend charities or ‘coaching funds.’
QR code phishing
For those who’re on the occasion, look out for quishing makes an attempt. QR codes posted at occasions may very well result in phishing websites and malware downloads. It’s a well-liked tactic that blends bodily and digital threats to steal your cost particulars or private data. It’s notably efficient tactic as a result of it usually doesn’t arouse the identical degree of suspicion amongst individuals as, say, phishing URLs. Cellular gadgets are additionally usually much less properly protected than laptops and desktops, so there’s extra likelihood of success.
Public Wi-Fi
For those who’re out and about on the occasion, beware of pretend and lookalike hotspots designed to seize your private and monetary data.
Staying protected from Winter Olympics scams
To remain protected on-line, persist with the official Winter Olympics websites and don’t have interaction with unsolicited messages and too-goo-to-be-true offers. Extra particularly:
- Solely purchase tickets from https://tickets.milanocortina2026.org/ or https://hospitality.milanocortina2026.org/. The occasion organizers haven’t licensed resale on any third-party ticketing websites.
- Follow the official website, store.olympics.com for merchandise.
- Keep away from pirated streaming companies and solely go to websites hosted by the official broadcasters, together with NBCUniversal (US), BBC (UK), Warner Bros Discovery (Europe).
- By no means belief too-good-to-be-true offers in unsolicited messages.
- Keep away from clicking on hyperlinks or opening attachments in unsolicited messages, even when they look like from legit Winter Olympics organizers/sponsors.
- Scrutinize listings for pink flags, even when they’re on legit websites. Try opinions, at all times use the official in-app messaging service and prioritize sellers with “verified” badges or comparable.
- For those who’re going to the occasion, obtain the official Olympics app for schedules, maps, and digital tickets.
- Keep away from public Wi-Fi the place attainable, or use a VPN in the event you can. If it’s important to use a hotspot, don’t log in to high-value accounts, equivalent to your e mail or on-line banking.
- Keep away from scanning QR codes on the occasion, or ones that flip up in emails.
- Set up anti-malware in your system from a good vendor to mitigate the danger of quishing, smishing and email-based phishing.
- Do not forget that the Olympic video games organizers by no means ask for cash to volunteer or work there. Official volunteering websites might be discovered at https://team26.milanocortina2026.org/ and paid roles might be discovered at https://milanocortina2026.intervieweb.it/en/profession.
The XXV Winter Olympic Video games in Milano-Cortina is about to be a deal with for sports activities followers all over the world. However digital scammers may even be paying shut consideration. Benefit from the enjoyable, and keep protected.
