Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo are bracing for more than just athletic competition as the 2026 Winter Olympics approach. Organizers are increasingly focused on a different kind of contest: the battle against cyber threats. Italian authorities have already successfully mitigated several Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks targeting websites connected to the Games, hotels in Cortina d’Ampezzo and national embassies, signaling a heightened awareness and proactive defense strategy.

The increasing sophistication and frequency of cyberattacks targeting major global events, coupled with geopolitical tensions, have prompted a significant investment in cybersecurity measures for the Milan-Cortina Games. With the Games less than a year away, officials are confident in their ability to protect critical infrastructure and ensure a secure experience for athletes, spectators, and media. The focus is on leveraging advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), to proactively identify and neutralize potential threats.

Major sporting events are attractive targets for a range of malicious actors, including criminals seeking financial gain, activists aiming to disrupt operations, and state-sponsored groups pursuing political objectives. The high profile and international nature of the Olympics make them particularly vulnerable. Past Games, including the 2018 Winter Olympics and more recently, events surrounding the exclusion of Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, have been targeted by cyberattacks, often attributed to Russian-backed groups, according to security experts.

A History of Attacks and Evolving Threats

The history of cyberattacks targeting the Olympics is well-documented. The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang were disrupted by a malware attack, widely believed to be linked to Russian actors, in retaliation for the ban on Russian athletes due to a state-sponsored doping program. More recently, the exclusion of Russia from international sporting competitions has fueled concerns about continued cyber activity. Justin Moore, a senior manager at Unit 42, a division of Palo Alto Networks, explained that Russia’s exclusion “changes the strategic context surrounding Milan Cortina,” reducing traditional deterrents and potentially increasing the risk of disruptive or influence-based cyber operations. He noted that the risk of state-aligned cyber operations “cannot be discounted,” as reported by Yahoo Sports.

Building a Secure Network for the Games

To counter these threats, the Italian National Cyber Security Agency (ACN) has dedicated 20 officials to Olympic security, collaborating with international partners like France and the United States – hosts of the previous and next Olympic Games – to identify and prevent malicious activity. Yet, the core of the security strategy rests on the robust network infrastructure being built by technology partners like Deloitte and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE).

HPE’s network is the backbone of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games, connecting over 40 venues and supporting more than 3,000 athletes, 11,000 media representatives, and thousands of volunteers. The network handles over one million connections and is essential for everything from Wi-Fi access and ticketing to broadcast systems and scoring. Giuseppe Civale, director of ICT infrastructure and venue technologies for Milan-Cortina 2026, emphasized the need for “the highest grade of performance and stability” to deliver the Games to a global audience, including serving an “unprecedented amount of high‑resolution 8K footage” to over 200 rights holders.

AI-Powered Security: A Proactive Approach

Given the scale and complexity of the operation – the Milan-Cortina Games are the most geographically dispersed in Olympic history, spanning 22,000 square kilometers – traditional security measures are insufficient. HPE is implementing a software-defined networking approach that embeds security directly into the network’s design, automating key processes. This includes “zero trust” access controls, which assume all devices are potentially insecure, and integrated AI that acts as a sensor, identifying threats and proactively enacting security policies. This layered approach allows the team to block threats quickly and effectively without disrupting network performance.

Rami Rahim, general manager of HPE’s networking business, explained that the goal is to avoid “degrading the experience of the network” with excessive firewalls. Instead, they are building a network that “acts as a sensor to identify threats, implement policies, to block and prevent,” as detailed by NBC Chicago. For organizers, preventing a successful cyberattack is paramount, but maintaining a seamless experience for all stakeholders is equally important.

What’s Next for Olympic Cybersecurity

As the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics draw closer, the focus will remain on refining and testing the cybersecurity infrastructure. Ongoing threat intelligence gathering and collaboration with international partners will be crucial to staying ahead of potential attackers. The success of the AI-powered security measures will be a key indicator of whether the Games can deliver a secure and seamless experience for all involved. The lessons learned from Milan-Cortina will undoubtedly shape cybersecurity strategies for future Olympic Games and other major global events.

What are your thoughts on the increasing role of cybersecurity in major sporting events? Share your comments below and let us know what measures you consider are most important for protecting these events from cyber threats.