On the eve of the America Cupone of the most important football championships in the region, experts warn of a possible increase in cyber attacks during this sporting milestone by attracting cybercriminals who seek to scam fans by stealing their personal and financial information and even their companies, through fake apps and pages, among other tactics. This is a concern since, in 2023 alone, the company blocked 106,357,530 links to malicious sites, as well as malware designed to steal money that could have accessed bank accounts on mobile devices of 325,225 users worldwide.
As experts have warned, potential cyber threats arise in every major sporting event. For example, during the 2022 World Cup, cybersecurity company Kasperky reported a significant increase in malicious activities such as phishing attacks, ransomware, and social engineering scams related to the sale of match tickets, the purchase of official merchandise, the flight and accommodation reservations, as well as fake pages to supposedly watch live broadcasts or place bets, among other types of malware; aimed at fans and organizations with the aim of compromising their security and privacy.
It is expected that this championship will not be the exception and cybercriminals can use these same plays to take advantage of people’s enthusiasm for living the tournament experience, as well as following the step by step of their favorite soccer team. “The Copa América 2024 is not only a field for the players and their fans, but also for cybercrime. “It is an event that brings together the best teams on the continent, but also presents challenges in terms of cybersecurity, both for fans and for the teams themselves,” concludes Fabio Assolini, director of the Global Research and Analysis Team for Latin America. in Kaspersky.
With the aim of guaranteeing cybersecurity during the Copa América 2024, Kaspersky shares some recommendations for users to keep their data protected through a proactive defense strategy, instead of the traditional defensive position of withdrawal:
● Think about the value of your data. Many users fall for cyber scams because they think they have nothing to lose. However, there is very valuable information for cybercriminals, such as your personal and banking details, that can be sold on the Darkweb.
● Blocks fraud. If you find a website that guarantees you free match tickets, exclusive merchandise or access to the broadcast, check its authenticity. As? Do not click on messages with promotions, whether on WhatsApp, social networks or email. Then, check who sent the message. Scammers also often exploit famous company names, so watch out for spelling errors. If you detect that it could be a fraud, do not forward the message and delete it.
● Implement reliable security solutions. Use comprehensive cybersecurity software to protect your personal information from malware, ransomware, and other online threats. Avoid goals in your own court with these types of tools; They can be very useful in case you click on a fraudulent link.
● Perform regular backups to mitigate the impact of potential attacks related to data loss. Just as in a soccer game there are players on the bench waiting to come out in case a teammate gets injured, the backups are there for when we need them.