Kaspersky contributed to combating fraud during the 2024 Summer Olympics in France by sharing threat data with Interpol as part of the Stadia project.
The initiative is designed to ensure the cyber security of major international events, including sports tournaments, cultural, social and religious gatherings, as well as conferences. Cyber experts have addressed threats such as phishing websites and social engineering scams aimed at stealing money and credentials from fans.
Interpol’s efforts during the Summer Games included preventing and solving cybercrime related to the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in France, ensuring the safety of millions of spectators and participants. The project focused on scams designed to steal users’ money and data. As part of these efforts, Kaspersky cooperated with Interpol and partners on the Gateway project by sharing specialized threat data. The Kaspersky team noticed a sharp increase in deceptive activity and conducted a detailed analysis of phishing websites resembling the official Summer Games websites, uncovering key scams used by cybercriminals to abuse the excitement and trust of spectators.
Kaspersky experts discovered numerous scam websites offering tickets to the Paris Summer Games, as well as fake online stores offering merchandise such as t-shirts, jerseys and accessories. They also uncovered fake auctions claiming to sell Olympic medals. In addition, Kaspersky researchers have identified more sophisticated traps. In one case, cybercriminals used the Olympics as bait, offering users extra mobile data from their carriers via the WhatsApp app. Other attackers lured users to purported online streams of events, which actually redirected them to fake sites. There, victims are tricked into participating in fraudulent contests, ultimately leading to financial losses and the potential exposure of their personal information.
By providing Interpol with real-time threat data, Kaspersky helped identify and neutralize phishing scams and other fraudulent activity targeting fans during the Olympic Games.
“Major global events such as the Olympics, which attract millions of viewers, are often prime targets for cybercriminals looking to defraud fans and steal their data and money. In order to protect users, cooperation between the private and public sectors is essential to combat threats of this magnitude. We are honored to contribute to the joint efforts to neutralize global cybercrime. By sharing threat data, Kaspersky is committed to actively supporting Interpol initiatives, strengthening security measures and enabling timely, proactive actions to protect individuals and society as a whole.” says Julija Šličkova, vice president for public relations at Kaspersky.
“During the Summer Games in Paris, international cooperation was essential to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals. By sharing data and best practices, police and partners were able to respond quickly to new threats. “Interpol worked closely with private sector partners such as Kaspersky, as well as member countries to protect athletes, fans and critical infrastructure from cyber-attacks, helping to deliver a safe and secure event for all.” says Neil Jetton, Interpol’s director of cybercrime.
As part of their long-standing cooperation, Kaspersky and Interpol have consistently led the way joint operations aimed at fighting cybercrime and contributed projects that raise awareness about contemporary cyber risks. This partnership also includes the provision of human resources support and training of police officers.
Earlier, Kaspersky published research based on the analysis of nearly 25,000 free Wi-Fi hotspots in Paris during the Summer Olympics. Experts have found that nearly 25 percent of these networks have weak or no encryption, making users vulnerable to theft of personal and banking information. Learn more at entire blog post.
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