Olympics-themed data-stealing apps and fraudulent social media accounts carrying phishing schemes are among the risks to non-participants at home and abroad for this year's Games, according to the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Proofpoint.
This is likely to be the most digitally enabled Olympic Games in history, but that presents real opportunities for attackers as well as for the viewing public, the security firm warned.
Those looking to interact digitally with brand sponsors and the games themselves need to be extremely cautious about the information they provide and the permissions they accept.
“For people who are enjoying the Rio Games remotely, via TV and online, computer viruses should be more of a concern than the Zika virus,” Devin Redmond, general manager, Proofpoint Social Media Protection, said.
Proofpoint's analysis of more than 1,300 Olympics-related social media accounts and thousands of mobile apps turned up a variety of fraud and malicious intent situations seeking to capitalize on worldwide interest.
“Social media allows all of us to feel like we're right there at the Games, but it's important to look out for social media risks,” Ray Kruck, vice president of marketing and business development, Proofpoint Social Media Protection, explained.
Malware delivered via social media is not limited to desktop computers.
“Three weeks ago, we detected a malicious Android install kit posted to Olympics-related Facebook pages. A week ago, we detected four new instances of this kit, which can potentially take over Android devices and steal sensitive information,” a Proofpoint blog disclosed.
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Roy Urrico
Roy W. Urrico specializes in articles about financial technology and services for Credit Union Times, as well as ghostwriting, copywriting, and case studies. Also: writer/editor of a semi-annual newsletter for Association for Financial Technology since 1997 and history projects funded by the U.S Interior Department, National Park Service and Warren County (N.Y.).
