The 2018 FIFA World Cup is just around the corner – in just a few days, on Thursday, June 14th, the biggest football tournament in the World will take center stage in Russia. Even though such events bring national pride and enjoyment, cybersecurity experts warn that fans at the World Cup might be attractive targets for hackers.
Up to 1 million football enthusiasts from different countries are expected to visit this exciting event, with 12 venues located in 11 cities. With emotional matches, celebrations, and loosened focus on personal privacy, the 2018 FIFA World Cup is set to be a true goldmine for cybercriminals and other malicious actors. Beyond that, internet security is a growing concern in Russia.
For those visiting the 2018 FIFA World Cup, that means they must be extremely cautious and take additional steps to avoid various threats. Internet security experts agree that the biggest security issue during the event might be public Wi-Fi hotspots.
Recently Kaspersky Lab analyzed around 32,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in 11 cities hosting 2018 FIFA World Cup matches and found that over a fifth (22.4%) of them are unsecure. According to the report, the top three World Cup cities with the highest percentage of unreliable networks are Saint Petersburg (48%), Kaliningrad (47%) and Rostov (44%).
All big events are an attractive target for hackers, and the World Cup is not an exception. Football fans must be extremely cautious when using public Wi-Fi networks as those are easy to crack even for an amateur hacker. Practically every laptop and every mobile phone might be potentially exposed when connected to the unsecure Wi-Fi network. The harsh truth is that your personal information such as contact details, credit card numbers or other can be stolen.
The most common tactics are man-in-the-middle attacks, Wi-Fi sniffing, and fake hotspots. The attacker simply needs to be located within the range of the Wi-Fi to grab the traffic and user data. Especially unreliable are those Wi-Fi hotspots that are free, usually provided in coffee shops, shopping malls, airports, stations, etc.
The good news is that a remedy for this problem is within reach. A VPN is the perfect solution for ensuring your privacy and security anywhere, especially abroad. It saves the day by making your online traffic snoop-proof through strong encryption. The most exciting part is that you can use public Wi-Fi without getting paranoid about your data being stolen. However, you should look for a trustworthy VPN.
The one I love – is NordVPN, as it is easy to use and, most importantly, keeps no logs. With NordVPN you can encrypt your online activity to protect your private data and enjoy global connectivity along with high-performance speed and secure access to streaming websites, censored content and social networks. Plus, you can secure up to 6 devices with a single NordVPN account – computers, smartphones, routers, and more.
More info: nordvpn.com
How to stay safe online at FIFA World Cup 2018?
Enjoy secure and private access to the Internet by getting a VPN account, for example, NordVPN
Be extremely cautious with your devices – don’t share your smartphone or computer with anyone, especially the ones you don’t know
Be careful with various IT-related gifts, such as USB keys – throw them away instantly, as such items might contain viruses or other malicious content
Update all your apps and software, both on your laptop and smartphone
Use and download only official applications
Avoid using internet banking, buying online or presenting your credit card details online
Avoid sharing your location on social media or other applications
Keep your Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off, except when needed
Enjoy and have fun – 2018 FIFA World Cup is one of the most exciting events!
