Cybercriminals could use the Eurovision Song Contest to distract and defraud businesses, experts are warning ahead of next month’s musical spectacular in Liverpool.
The North West Cyber Resilience Centre (NWCRC) says companies involved in the Eurovision supply chain need to be on high alert.
It says those companies will be dealing with numerous new suppliers, customers and other businesses, making it harder for them to spot potential fraudsters.
The Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2022 found 44% of small businesses in the North West had a cyber breach or attack in the previous 12 months - but only 28% had done a cyber security risk assessment.
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DI Dan Giannasi, head of cyber and innovation at the NWCRC, said: “We are asking all businesses across the North West, but particularly Merseyside, to be vigilant against potential cyber crime in the run up to the Eurovision Song Contest in May.
“Protecting your organisation is critical for businesses involved in the event but also the wider business community across the region. Currently we are hearing about an increased number of phishing scams, where fraudsters are trying to get personal information and take payment while impersonating businesses.
“Small businesses in particular can be vulnerable as they often lack the in-house skills and knowledge to protect themselves effectively.”
He added: “We strongly advise businesses in the North West, and in particular businesses in the supply chain for the Eurovision Song Contest such as hotels, transport providers and any other suppliers, to update all of their software, ensure their firewalls and virus protection is up-to-date and switch on two-factor authentication wherever possible.”
The NWCRC was founded in 2019 as the first in a network of regional Cyber Resilience Centres across the UK. It is a not-for-profit venture between North West police forces and Manchester Digital and aims to provide advice and education to help businesses avoid cybercrime.
Katie Gallagher, founder of the NWCRC and MD of Manchester Digital, said: “Cybercrime is increasingly more sophisticated so it can be really hard to spot phishing or hacking attempts.
“Fraudsters will be relying on businesses dealing with unfamiliar suppliers and customers and looking for any opportunity to take advantage of a situation.”
The NWCRC lists several ways cyber-criminals could attempt to defraud a business.
Phishing attacks via email, SMS or WhatsApp
The NWCRC said these “are the main threat to be wary of, especially as this is a gateway to other further attempts of cybercrime” .
And it added: “If you receive emails, text messages or Whatsapp messages, confirm that they are from the business that they claim to be before you share any information or payments. Look out for unusual email addresses, bad spelling and anything else that looks suspicious.”
Malware
The centre described malware as “when cybercriminals try to trick you into downloading software onto your computer, usually through a phishing email. Ransomware is a type of malware which means all of your information is encrypted or deleted and you cannot access it. Cyber criminals would ask for a payment, or a ransom, to hand it back over.”
Fake invoices
The NWCRC says fake bills are among “the most likely cybercrimes that businesses could see around a huge event like Eurovision, either purporting to be from a real business, or simply an opportunist fake invoice, in the hope that it won’t be checked out and paid.”
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