Get cyber secure before summer of sport, say NCSC

Sports fans are being encouraged by the National Cyber Security Centre to protect their online streaming accounts ahead of a summer of major events.

Millions across the country are expected to livestream the all-English UEFA Champions League Final on 29 May, and the UK’s cyber security experts are urging them to take steps to do so securely.

Hackers can break into streaming accounts if they use weak passwords that can be easily guessed or have been compromised in the past. The NCSC’s Cyber Aware guidance urges fans to make strong passwords up of three random words and save these in a browser to remove the burden of remembering them.

Once accounts are breached, hackers can use account holders’ information to make unauthorised payments or harvest data to use for phishing emails and scam calls.

Nicola Hudson, NCSC Director of Policy and Communications, said: “The UEFA Champions League final will kick off a great British summer of sport and those enjoying it online should be able to do so securely.

“If accounts aren't secure, it's really easy for criminals to access them and then proceed to target people with scam texts and emails. To help stay protected from this, we would urge people to visit cyberaware.gov.uk for advice on securing accounts and devices and the NCSC’s website for dealing with scam emails and texts.”

With outdoor sporting venues opening their doors to fans this summer, the NCSC is also urging fans to be vigilant in the rush to purchase tickets. By using the six key Cyber Aware steps, supporters will protect themselves from most cyber crime and be alert to online scams, including the selling of bogus tickets.