PR90713

BOSTON, July 19, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

- COVID-19 Pandemic, Ransomware, and Nation-State Threat Actors Influence

Potential Threat Landscape

Recorded Future, the world's largest provider of intelligence for enterprise

security, today published details on the threat landscape surrounding the

upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, including the potential influence by the

COVID-19 pandemic, ransomware attacks, and politically motivated nation-state

threat activity. As evidenced by past Olympics, the high profile and

international nature of the event makes it a target for those seeking to cause

politically motivated harm, enrich themselves through criminal activities, or

embarrass the host nation on the international stage.

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Recorded Future's unrivaled data set of open source, dark web, technical

sources, and original research enabled the analysis of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

threat landscape. Key findings from the report include:

    -- State-sponsored threat actors pose the most significant threat to the

       Olympic Games and Olympics-affiliated organizations based on their

       sophisticated capabilities and ongoing disputes with the International

       Olympic Committee (IOC) or associated bodies.

    -- Russian APT groups are likely the most motivated to target and disrupt

       the upcoming Olympics given previous cyber campaigns targeting the event

       and the current dispute over the country's eligibility to participate.

    -- Ransomware likely poses the greatest threat to Olympics-affiliated

       organizations as operators are likely to view the Olympics as attractive

       targets.

    -- State-sponsored propaganda and disinformation outlets are engaging in

       initial influence activities against the Tokyo games to generate

       controversy and undermine the event as unpopular, unsafe, or unfair.

    -- The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions likely reduces

       the opportunity for physical attacks to take place, but the Olympics are

       a common venue for political protest, and widespread opposition to the

       event in Japan increases the risk of domestic-based threats.

"The Olympics has historically been a prime target for threat actors whether

for political motivations or because ransomware victim organizations may be

heavily incentivized to quickly pay ransoms. While there is a reduced

likelihood of physical threats or widespread disruptive protests, it remains of

utmost importance for any organization to be aware of this evolving threat

landscape and the historical motivations for malicious activity while the world

is watching." — Dr. Christopher Ahlberg, CEO and Co-Founder, Recorded Future

About Insikt Group

Recorded Future's Insikt Group, the company's threat research division,

comprises analysts and security researchers with deep government, law

enforcement, military, and intelligence agency experience. Their mission is to

produce intelligence that reduces risk for clients, enables tangible outcomes,

and prevents business disruption.

About Recorded Future

Recorded Future is the world's largest provider of intelligence for enterprise

security. By combining persistent and pervasive automated data collection and

analytics with human analysis, Recorded Future delivers intelligence that is

timely, accurate, and actionable. In a world of ever-increasing chaos and

uncertainty, Recorded Future empowers organizations with the visibility they

need to identify and detect threats faster; take proactive action to disrupt

adversaries; and protect their people, systems, and assets, so business can be

conducted with confidence. Recorded Future is trusted by more than 1,000

businesses and government organizations around the world. Learn more at

www.recordedfuture.com and follow us on Twitter at @RecordedFuture.

SOURCE  Recorded Future

CONTACT: Cait Mattingly, Global Communications, Recorded Future,

media@recordedfuture.com