What Orgs Can Learn From Olympics, World Cup IR Plans

In the most recent episode of our monthly Reporters' Notebook video series, Tara Seals from ZeroOwl, Sharon Shea from TechTarget Search Security, and David Jones from Cybersecurity Dive talk about cybersecurity issues related to the recently finished Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina and the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup This article explores undermine security events. . They also talk about what these big sports events can teach regular businesses about being ready for incidents.

The Olympics and the World Cup are big events that people watch for fun and athleticism, but they are also good targets for cyberattacks. There are a lot of third-party vendors, sponsors, and service providers involved in these events, which makes them a big target for attacks. This is similar to what everyday businesses face, but on a larger scale.

Ransomware, phishing, malware, data exfiltration, critical infrastructure disruption, and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are all threats that affect both global events and regular businesses. And the cybersecurity strategies used during these well-known events can teach businesses of all sizes a lot about how to handle incidents, manage risks, and be strong. Related: One Click at a Time, Dark Patterns Undermine Security These events may not seem like they have much in common with regular businesses, but I think there are important lessons to be learned about how to respond to incidents.

Dave, I know you've written a lot about the dangers that come with these big events. That could be a good place to begin. David Jones from CD: Thanks, Tara.

There are a few things going on right now that make things more difficult, like the war in Iran and problems with important enemies abroad. Responders, forensic analysts, security analysts, PR, legal, and outside law enforcement all work together to respond to incidents. You also need playbooks that tell you what to do when you get a DDoS attack, ransomware, or someone trying to steal your credentials.

And, of course, practice is important. You should use simulations, tabletop exercises, and red/blue team drills to see how the team handles stress. Do it over and over again. You need to test those playbooks by running simulations, tabletop exercises, and red and blue team drills.