Between Brazil’s Zika outbreak and the country’s growing political turmoil, a lesser-known threat is putting the personal information of hundreds of thousands of unsuspecting visitors to the Rio Games at risk.
The country’s cybercriminals have gained a notorious reputation as the world’s second-most active online bank fraudsters in the world, just behind Russia, according to a report by international software security group Kaspersky Lab.
And with half a million visitors to the Olympics often unknowingly using unsecured Wi-Fi connections, the threat is greater than ever.
“There was no money in the account,” said tourist Emile Badran, who lost $8,000 after someone broke into his online bank account. “There were several debits being made without my knowledge and the account was drawn to the end.”
About 110 million people -- more than half of Brazil’s population -- are currently using the Internet each day, providing hackers with a large pool from which to draw.
In a country already struggling with a recession, banks are having trouble keeping up.
“These systems and services that are administered by banks are incredibly vulnerable and unfortunately (banks) in Brazil, just like banks everywhere else, don’t' like to talk about it for fear of losing market share and trust of their customers,” said cybersecurity expert Robert Muggah.
The problem is made worse by the lack of communication between the country’s cash-strapped police forces, Muggah said.
“What'll happen is that you'll have some guy working out of Sao Paolo who is doing cybercrime in Rio and there is very little communication or co-ordination with the states.”
Law enforcement’s failure to gain the upper hand in the fight for online security has led to bolder and more brazen attacks, with criminals often flaunting their exploits on social media and even teaching others how to hack.
With a report from CTV’s Omar Sachedina
