The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris have finally started with cybersecurity experts worried about the surge of DDoS and cybercrime campaigns targeting the annual sporting event.
First reported by Axios, experts signaled warnings on the surge of website takedowns related to the Olympic Games and the French government before and throughout the event.
Since early April, US officials have already alerted their counterpart agencies in France against cyber threats amid growing political tensions in Europe, particularly with Russia and China.
So far, France's Interior Ministry has suspended over 1,000 suspicious accounts have been blocked as officials intensify digital protections against potential cybersecurity incidents.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin claimed that the country's agencies have already done over 1 million background checks in anticipation of the surge of visitors during the Games' start.
Despite preparation, French officials admitted that the 2024 Paris Olympics still face "an unprecedented level of threat" as cyberattacks become more rampant and sophisticated.
Cybercrime Campaigns Threaten to Disrupt 2024 Paris Olympics
While no cybersecurity incident has yet been reported since the start of the 2024 Olympics, officials have already reported several disruptions attempts days ahead of the event.
French cybersecurity officials claimed DDoS trials targeting major Summer Olympics websites were detected since last month, many of which were headed by hacktivist groups and state-backed threat actors affiliates.
AI deepfakes around the event have also surged as evidenced by the supposed documentary featuring Tom Cruise and fake video of Hamas fighters threatening to attack the event.
Stronger Coverage on 2024 Summer Olympics Security
In anticipation of these threats, both national and international agencies have bolstered coverage of the Summer Olympics to deter potential attacks where delegates from many countries are set to participate.
