As the 2010 FIFA World 
 Cup approaches, secu-
 rity experts are warning that cyber attacks are likely to 
increase in the days leading to and during the event, and users interested in the FIFA World Cup are advised to equip themselves with the fundamentals of cybercrime, says Information Technology service company Cornastone Consulting.

“We have already seen evidence of FIFA-related spam and expect to see this grow in the run-up to the event. Reports from the
last World Cup, in Germany, 
inidcate that there was a 40% 
increase in attacks on German institutions in the month preceding, and the month after, the World Cup. The attacks become more focused as the country’s profile is raised,” says Cornastone Consulting security and identity management practice lead Patrick Devine.

He adds that there is an undeniable link between international 
sporting events and the rise of phishing attacks. Therefore, the 2010 FIFA World Cup will also not escape the phishers’ 
attention.

Reports indicate that phishing is a scam that generates billions of dollars even when less than 1% of the darts hit the target. Research and consulting group Gartner puts that cost at over $3,6-billion yearly and, as a result, users should educate themselves on how malicious attacks could be executed and how to protect their online personal details, says Devine.

He stresses that each year, newer techniques and malicious programs are being unleashed to leave Internet users surprised, at greater risk and often out of pocket, and such organisations need to secure the integrity of their information, particularly confidential information provided by users accessing websites offering services and products 
relating to the event.

One way cybercriminals will operate through mechanisms includes trying to compromise legitimate websites to gain sensitive information. Hackers will attempt to gain access to valuable information through compromising user accounts and reaching customer information held in databases that run behind these websites. 
These types of attacks are very common , says Devine, and it results in lost orders for those businesses that offer 
online-related goods and ser-
vices. Users are urged to remain cautious while visiting any legitimate website relating to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Cybercriminals go as far as targeting specific high-worth individuals. Targeted versions of phishing have been termed ‘spear phishing’ and are 
directed specifically at senior 
executives and other high-profile targets within businesses, enticing unwary individuals into 
visiting fraudulent websites, which the attacker controls. This website is preloaded with malicious softwar (malware) that attempts to compromise the browser, or one of the plug-ins the browser can load.

“Spear phishing is always made to look legitimate. It will address the person by name and supposedly come from the CIO of the organisation, for example, 
by requesting users to ‘please test your password strength’. The only real solution is education and people should be suspicious of why people want this kind of 
information,” Devine says.

Spam is one of the main distribution methods that is usedby password stealers. With mass mailings, users are often tricked into opening allegedly legitimate portable document format 
attachments and subsequently end up with an executable that compromises the user’s system. The spam mail’s topic is often tailored to the target audience, leveraging trends, political news, or topics localised for targeted countries.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup email spam is expected to follow the traditional pattern, says Devine, capturing the recipient’s interest in topics or images that direct the reader to a hyperlink to the source or detailed story. He adds that these hyperlinks usually trigger the download and installation of malware that can severely compromise system 
integrity, which then results in personal information then being harvested.

Fans also increase their risk by attempting to obtain tickets through unauthorised channels or from unsolicited emails. 
This, he adds, will result in fans with counterfeit tickets and also lead to the theft of credit card details. Devine stresses 
that users should only buy 
tickets from FIFA-registered 
sellers and avoid deals that sound too good to be true, as they probably are.

He adds that the introduction of the Seacom cable will also compound the attacks. Reports have shown that countries intro-
ducing pervasive broadband ser-
vices experience an immediate increase in threats, as cybercriminals take advantage of breaches and vulnerabilities arising from inadequate security. This has been seen in countries such as Brazil, Turkey and Poland, and South Africa is likely to follow this trend once the new undersea cables have been successfully 
installed.

Devine’s advice for businesses and fans during the 2010 FIFA World Cup season is to make sure that their systems and software are up to date with all the patches and that security software is used to protect their
systems.