British Study: Cyber Crime Has Devastating Potential

Framework conditions of the study

On behalf of the National Cyber Security Center, the British market research institute Ipsos MORI conducted a survey among various players in the online gambling sector. In spring 2020, eight cybersecurity experts from the largest gaming organizations, which also include lotteries, were interviewed in interviews lasting one hour each. There was also an extensive online survey that was intended to complement the results.

A British study attests that the new cyber crime has devastating potential. ©geralt/Pixabay

The gaming industry has largely been spared

More than half of those surveyed said that their operator or company had been the target of at least one cyberattack within the last year. However, there were no critical situations, major losses or impacts on the portals. The coronavirus pandemic has seen an increase in cases that pose a threat to cybersecurity. In general, however, the survey did not come to the conclusion that the threat situation had worsened dramatically.

What is at stake?

Those noticing threats to the company's cybersecurity reported that most attacks were aimed at hacking online user accounts. Another trend is so-called credential stuffing, which is all about intercepting valid login data in order to gain access to other websites. This is not about financial damage, but rather about damage to the image of the operators.

Compromised user data

Part of the risk also lies with the users of the portals, who ultimately always have to store real data there - real names, addresses, payment methods. You risk losing data and also compromised access data for other portals, which could be intercepted during credential stuffing. In addition to the operators, who are of course obliged to protect their customers and their data, responsibility also lies with the individual.

The biggest challenge: phishing

Phishing attempts are currently the biggest challenge because they are not just about technological protection. It is also about whether, for example, employees follow a link, accidentally give out access data or do not recognize an email as an attempt at fraud. The focus here is on people as a factor for uncertainty and danger. The operators only have limited handling and intervention options here.

Other methods: DDOS attacks are increasing

The so-called DDOS attacks are already widespread worldwide in the area of cyber crime. However, they have increased even further in the recent past. At the beginning of the corona pandemic, the increase was around 600 percent. DDOS attacks are attacks in which the affected Internet address is accessed en masse and is therefore no longer accessible to users. If they are successful, it is often a matter of blackmailing companies. The consequences for the gaming industry were also limited here.

Ransomware as a trial by fire

Ransomware is malware that affects individual computers and prevents people or companies from accessing them. Unlocking usually requires a significant payment. This type of attack is perhaps the most dangerous because it is now very well planned and can have devastating effects. Ransomware attacks occur at a rapid pace. Huge amounts of data are at stake.

Unlocking is also not a solution

Said huge amounts of data are extracted, encrypted and denied access to operators and users. Even if the required ransom is paid, the problem is often not solved and there is no other way out. This is an extremely worrying situation for operators because the nature of attacks has changed rapidly. Today they are targeted, expertly executed, extremely fast, and all with devastating potential.

Supply chain uncertainty factor: What does that mean?

Most of the operators surveyed consider themselves to be well positioned in terms of their cybersecurity. However, supply chains are a factor of uncertainty. This means that cybersecurity measures are mostly in the hands of third parties. There are no direct relationships with their cooperation parties, which is in fourth place. This often creates difficulties for operators in implementing their own safety regulations.

Many games come from third parties

Many of the games, for example in online casinos, are provided by third parties and used by operators. Although they sometimes have their own platforms, they obtain the majority of their offerings from providers who have a certain monopoly position. So there is a dependency. This means that operators have to do less handling, require fewer security checks and the like.

A look into the future

The supply chain problem in particular must be urgently addressed in order to be prepared for the future. Other points of concern for those surveyed include game and betting manipulation as well as the further development of already known forms of attack, for example through the use of artificial intelligence. But everyone from users to employees and operators are needed to combat it.

British study: Cyber crime has devastating potential