The Olympics of hacking

Hi, it’s Jamie from the cybersecurity team. The Olympic Games have become a competition of sorts among hackers too. But first...Today’s top [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Hi, it’s Jamie from the cybersecurity team. The Olympic Games have become a competition of sorts among hackers too. But first... Today’s top tech news: - Google’s ad business revenue [rose by a third]( last quarter - More musicians have [pulled their work]( from Spotify - Ford is spending $20 billion in a reorientation [toward electric cars]( Cybersecurity games China’s control over the internet systems in place for the Winter Olympics, which begin this week, is so complete that some experts are questioning whether hackers will be able to pull off any significant attacks. That would be a nice change. In the years since China hosted the Summer Olympics in 2008, hacking the Games has become its own competition of sorts, and a headache for organizers. Ticketing systems have crashed and websites have been defaced, while state-sponsored hackers have used the international sporting events to glean intelligence on attendees. Cyberattacks began to severely disrupt Olympic organizers in 2016, following allegations of a Kremlin-sponsored doping program that led the International Olympic Committee to suspend many Russian athletes. At the time, Russia denied it was involved in a hack that leaked the confidential [medical records of U.S. athletes](. This time around, security experts’ concerns are more internal than external. The vast amount of data the Chinese state will have access to as it hosts the Games has some experts concluding that cyberattacks may not even be necessary. An audit of the mandatory Olympics app determined that spies could undercut encryption protections, rendering sensitive health data or passport details vulnerable. Official partners and suppliers include Chinese tech companies sanctioned for their surveillance. One company that will control all foreign and domestic internet traffic was found to collect more data in its monitoring of networks than what is considered the norm. Attendees are being urged to leave their personal devices at home. “Chinese state-sponsored hackers, meanwhile, will likely turn an eye to foreign athletes and government officials attending the Games,” analysts from Recorded Future Inc., a Massachusetts-based cybersecurity firm, wrote in a recent report. And there is always the likelihood that the Olympics’ most persistent cyber mischief makers – suspected Russian hackers – won’t be able to resist such a target-rich environment. After all, U.S. prosecutors credited six alleged members of Russia’s GRU intelligence agency with launching an attack meant to disrupt the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games in South Korea. In that incident, malware dubbed “Olympic Destroyer” crippled the online ticketing system, cut WiFi at the stadium during the Opening Ceremony and shut down all the internet-connected TV sets. The IT team in charge worked through the night to bring the networks back online. Moscow has denied responsibility. It’s also possible the attention of Russian hackers will be focused elsewhere during these Olympic Games. During the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the opening ceremonies in the famous Bird’s Nest stadium. Several thousand miles away, Russian tanks crossed into Georgia, launching an invasion of the former Soviet state. Multiple cyberattacks ensued, overloading Georgian government websites with bot traffic, and paralyzing news and opposition websites. Putin is expected to be in the stands again in Beijing, just as Russian forces are amassed near Ukraine’s borders, igniting tensions with the U.S., the U.K. and their European allies. A Chinese official recently told reporters in Beijing that all countries should observe an “Olympic truce.” If recent history is any guide, it may not hold. —[Jamie Tarabay](mailto:jtarabay2@bloomberg.net) If you read one thing Alphabet Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai made his first public [comments on web3](, saying the company is “definitely looking at blockchain.” Meanwhile, an Alphabet stock split could help the company [gain entry]( into the Dow Industrial Average. Here’s what you need to know PayPal had a “slower-than-expected finish of the year,” an executive said. Its [stock plunged]( Tuesday. Russians own more than $214 billion worth of cryptocurrencies, according to an estimate the Kremlin is using as it makes plans to [regulate the industry](. Intuit's CEO says crypto traders could be in for a [tax shock](. Tom Brady’s next act will [involve NFTs](. Follow Us More from Bloomberg Dig gadgets or video games? [Sign up for Power On]( to get Apple scoops, consumer tech news and more in your inbox on Sundays. [Sign up for Game On]( to go deep inside the video game business, delivered on Fridays. Why not try both? Like Fully Charged? | [Get unlimited access to Bloomberg.com](, where you'll find trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters. You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Fully Charged newsletter. If a friend forwarded you this message, [sign up here]( to get it in your inbox. 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