FSM


Feature


Cyber crime


A threat to stadium safety that cannot be ignored


The threats facing football stadiums are many. But the biggest may be the one we can’t see, says FSOA Business Development Manager, John Newsham


Picture the scene. It’s the second half in a high-tension derby match and the home team have just scored to take the lead. Thousands of people are on their feet celebrating. And then the stadium power goes out. In an instant, the atmosphere changes.


Event staff, unsure of what has happened, struggle to keep the crowds calm. The public address system is down and confusion and panic takes over. Restless and worried, fans start piling towards exits and get caught up in a stampede. A fire breaks out amid the chaos but the sprinkler system fails to operate. Within minutes, the joy of the occasion has been replaced with chaos. Thankfully, this horror story is purely


fiction. There has not yet been a cyber attack that has caused such levels of devastation at a large sporting event. But with the number of cyber attacks rising, the threat they pose to football stadia cannot be ignored or underestimated. Safety Officers and Stadium Managers


are fully aware of the many threats they must prepare for in their duty to protect the tens of thousands of football fans who flock to games each week. From terrorism to drones, drunken fans, aggressive behaviour and even adverse weather, the


26 FSM


risks that threaten safety at sports stadia are vast and wide-ranging. But it is vital that just as much care and attention is ploughed into protecting stadia against the risk we can’t see as is put into those that are staring us in the face. In recent years, large sporting events


and international tournaments have been targeted by thousands of cyber attacks and waves of criminal cyber activity that has caused technical malfunctions. During the 2014 FIFA World Cup held


in Brazil, there was a drastic increase in malicious cyber activity. In a period of 30 days, starting three weeks before the tournament and during its first week, more than 90,000 attacks were launched against related organisations. During the 2012 London Olympics, 11,000 malicious requests per second were received and 212 million malicious connection attempts blocked. During the 2016 Wimbledon tournament, technology partner IBM saw a 302 percent year-to-year increase of security events and attacks on the official website for the tournament. And as IT and Operational Technology


at stadia continues to merge together into centralised systems, there is an increasing potential for widespread disruption. Similar to smart buildings and structures, large-scale


sports complexes utilise computer-based systems that monitor, manage and control various electrical and electromechanical functions, such as security and surveillance cameras, lighting, plumbing, communications, building access and fire safety systems. Hackers who manage to penetrate systems that control these critical functions have the potential to inflict much damage to key operations. One major cyber risk that is gaining more attention is malicious software that enables an attacker to access stadium control computers, seize sensitive data and then demand some form of payment to release it. Earlier this year, the NHS was crippled by this malicious software as part of a global attack that affected more than 200,000 victims globally, and several cyber experts assess that more and more of these attacks will be directed towards arenas and stadia in the future. In today’s precarious and vulnerable


landscape, sports stadia and arenas now face a new kind of threat, one which is exacerbated by the interconnectedness of critical functions at stadia. It is vital that cyber security is now thrust


firmly to the top of the agenda when it comes to discussions about stadium safety. This is a threat that cannot be ignored.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36