Page 17 - Security Today, May/June 2019

Security Beyond the Field How venues can defend themselves from cybercrime during events
BAy Chris Calvert
s you walk into a venue to cheer on your favorite team, or see a favorite singer or show, it’s likely that one of the last things on your mind is the potential for a cyber attack. At any stadium or venue, fans can often see the presence of security cameras or police
officers on the lookout for suspicious behavior, but what’s going on behind the scenes to protect a venue’s IT infrastructure?
We know cyber attacks are penetrating every industry—from finance and banking to travel and hospitality. And, as businesses increasingly interact with their customers through technology, the amount of data generated via online transactions, social profiles, etc., will continue to grow, providing hackers more opportunity to get ahold of valuable data and create massive disruption.
The threat of cyber attacks has long been on the minds of govern- ment organizations and businesses, but large-scale events and ven- ues need to be wary of the threats that can infiltrate every layer of technology during a live sporting event, concert or conference. The technology that is required to keep 100,000 fans streaming videos or sharing the live action is becoming more connected, making these
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spaces even more vulnerable and valuable to attackers. Beyond the risk of digital disruption are all the ways that a cyber attacker can threaten the public safety of the event. The Jumbotron or the sound system are both critical systems and they could be used to cause panic in a crowd.
The Changing Landscape of Cyberattacks
At this point, it feels like a new data breach makes headlines on a weekly basis. In 2018 alone, a number of well-known companies publicly disclosed data breaches. Marriott, for instance, reported 8.6 million payment cards were involved in a breach to its reservation da- tabase. British Airways announced more than 380,000 card payments on its website had been comprised, and social media giant Facebook announced the data of over 50 million users was compromised in an attack that affected user accounts.
No company today is completely safe from potential attacks—the threat landscape has been evolving to become more aggressive and intelligent, meaning businesses must have the right technology and
CYBERSECURITY
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