World Cup Qatar

Probably, FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar will be targeted by cybercriminals at a high level, like many others before. In this regard, all spectators and organizations participating in the event must take precautions to protect themselves from cyber risks.

The host country, Qatar, established its National Cyber Security Committee in 2013. In 2014, they published a National Cyber Security Strategy document, addressing action plans, implementations, and identifying possible threats in Qatar’s cyber landscape. Qatar has positioned itself to have robust cyber security controls in place over the years to ensure the cyber security of the event. 

As another target for potential cyber threats, all FIFA spectators should be aware of the following points: 

• Maintaining general cyber security hygiene (Using up-to-date software, anti-virus, etc.)
• To be aware of the numerous social engineering strategies that cybercriminals employ.
• To be aware of digital communication and website links related to the World Cup, especially not clicking on suspicious emails and web links with World Cup themes;
• Not to use credentials, passwords, or credit card information on sites or platforms where they are unsure of the security.

While FIFA World Cup 2022 event approaches, it is predicted that cyber threat activities will increase even more, and especially tournament-themed phishing campaigns and fake domain names will rise. Threat intelligence gathered before, during, and after the organization helps to determine the security environment and potential threats. For this challenge, a CTI (Cyber Threat Intelligence) solution fed by all channels, including social media, OSINT, and the dark web, will be helpful.

As an extended threat intelligence solution, SOCRadar will closely monitor cyber-attacks during the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar and keep users updated.