Olympics-related cybercrimes to target mobile devices –report

Published July 27, 2012 7:27pm

With public interest in the Olympics peaking as the Games draw closer, a security firm has offered five tips to protect computer users from cybercriminals exploiting the event.

ThreatMetrix chief technical officer Andreas Baumhof said the Olympic audience should be vigilant and as much as possible stick to official news sources, lest they be attacked.

“With such a large audience seeking information on the Olympic Games, cybercriminals will seize this opportunity to attack PCs, mobile devices and even tablets. Cybercrime today is so advanced that in many cases users are completely unaware they are being attacked. The Olympic audience needs to be vigilant when browsing the Internet and researching the games,” Baumhof said.

“Whether you are searching for Michael Phelps or real-time medal count updates, make sure you are using sites that can be trusted – mainstream news sites, or better yet the official Olympics website,” he added.

It cited a recent report from market research firm eMarketer showing up to a billion people may watch the Games on PCs or mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

Such a figure is a significant jump from the 2010 Games as smartphone ownership worldwide is now estimated by eMarketer to be about 24 percent, it noted.

Because of this, it said there will be heightened risk for those using mobile devices, tablets and third-party apps as any malware can penetrate these devices just as easily as PCs, contrary to popular consumer thought.

ThreatMetrix’s tips include:

Shun unauthorized mobile and tablet apps: News sites have official apps that can follow the Games on smartphones or tablets. ThreatMetrix warned against downloading apps not authorized by the Olympics, noting that “consumer devices can be attacked when malicious applications are downloaded.
Block drive-by downloads: Audiences watching the Games on a PC or Mac should stick to mainstream websites, as cybercriminals can set up “valid-looking sites” that will download malware.
Avoid phishing and disguised links: Olympic-related tweets may spread and many will include shortened links that may lead to malicious sites.
Search engine poisoning: Some cybercriminals may use black hat search engine optimization to push malicious links to the top of search results.
Ticketing scams: Cybercriminals may offer items like last-minute tickets, though many offers may arrive via email.

Baumhof also advised keeping all software updated, using only official Olympic sites and apps, and being aware of web and mobile device activity.

“All of the cybercrime risk associated with the Olympics can be overwhelming to consumers. However, simple steps can be taken to avoid malware attacks associated with the Olympics. These steps include keeping all software up-to-date, using only official Olympic sites and applications and being hyperaware of all web and mobile device activity. Don’t click on any link that comes your way, even if it looks interesting – it may be a costly click,” he said. — TJD, GMA News

Tags: olympics, cybercrime, mobilephones, smartphones