According to Symantec, major sporting events are always a hotspot for malicious activity and the World Cup will be no different. With an estimated 400 000 soccer fans heading to South Africa, the majority will be using their mobile devices as their primary tool for connecting to the internet.
Symantec says that this increase in mobile connectivity will increase the number of phishing attacks and viruses targeted at them via unprotected WiFi networks.
The problem, Symantec adds, is not to be understated, as many users will also use their mobile devices to store personal information such as passport numbers, addresses, contact details and other necessary travel information.
Candid Wuuest, a Symantec senior security engineer, said that WiFi hotspots are common in South Africa, but users should ensure they are valid. "Try and verify that they are valid services or you could very well find your phone has been taken over by a criminal", he advised.
Over at F-Secure, Mikko Hypponen, the firm's chief research officer, said that the global interest in the World Cup attracts cybercriminals who see it as a major opportunity to make money by selling fake tickets and attracting soccer fans to drive-by download websites.
"I urge football fans everywhere to give cybercriminals the red card by refusing to be fooled by their dirty tricks. In addition to online vigilance against World Cup spam, scams and hoaxes, it's also crucial to keep computers patched and up-to-date to avoid getting hit by drive-by downloads from dubious websites", he said.