Understanding the Russian cyber threat to the 2026 Winter Olympics

Understanding the Russian cyber threat to the 2026 Winter Olympics unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/russian-c… Unit 42 assesses that the 2026 Winter Games in Milano Cortina face elevated cyber risk amid ongoing geopolitical tensions between Russia and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Russia’s exclusion from the Olympic movement — driven primarily by geopolitical fallout from its 2022 invasion of Ukraine rather than earlier doping-related sanctions — has removed a historic stabilizing factor associated with participation on the global stage. The IOC indefinitely suspended Russia following the invasion, citing a violation of the Olympic Truce and subsequent actions involving regional sports councils in occupied Ukrainian territories. Within this context, Unit 42 warns that major international sporting events increasingly intersect with geopolitical competition, making them attractive targets for state-aligned cyber operations, influence campaigns and disruptive activity. The report highlights the potential for cyber operations aimed at reputational damage, service disruption or strategic signalling in advance of, or during, the Games, reinforcing the need for heightened defensive posture across event organizers, sponsors, telecommunications providers and supporting infrastructure.