Athletes aren’t the only ones hustling in the sports world. Behind all the big plays, press conferences and endorsement deals, cybercriminals are always lurking in the shadows — hustling for a piece of the action.
Like corporate leaders and celebrities, professional athletes are high-net-worth individuals, making them prime targets. Infiltrating their digital world could result in big paydays for cybercriminals, whose playbooks include digital theft, extortion, blackmail, sponsorship scams, and much more.
“Even before the ink dries on their first contract, professional athletes have a target on their backs,” said Tracey Moon, chief marketing officer at BlackCloak, a firm that specializes in digital executive protection (DEP). “It’s game on for cybercriminals, who see dollar signs for rookies and long-standing sports icons alike.”
But it’s not just about the money. Athletes and the organizations they represent could face significant brand and reputational damage as well. Sometimes even their physical safety can be threatened, as we saw when WNBA Rookie of the Year and Indiana Fever point guard Caitlin Clark encountered stalking threats linked to her online presence.
Partnering with a trusted cybersecurity firm can play a crucial role in addressing cyber threats, which have increased by 45% since 2019, according to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Since strong cybersecurity requires expertise and constant monitoring, many organizations rely on customized solutions and services to protect their team, ensuring both their digital and physical safety.
Fortunately, these legal, reputational and business risks can be reduced by following fundamental DEP best practices.
Reduce Athletes’ Digital Footprints
For starters, athletes need to limit the amount of personal information they share, both digitally and in-person. This includes not revealing personally identifiable details on social media, such as where they live, or sharing specifics about their home and family life.
Dr. Chris Pierson, CEO and founder of BlackCloak, warns that while this is a solid first step, it’s only the beginning. Data brokers — companies or individuals that collect, process, and sell personal data, often without consent — have a head-start advantage, given the vast amount of personal information already available about any given athlete.
“Athletes need to take control of what they can to avoid making it easy for cybercriminals to exploit their personal information,” said Pierson. “There’s no reason to lead with your chin in the digital world, unless you want to get knocked out.”
But reducing a digital footprint is an ongoing, time-consuming and manual process. Pierson advises organizations to consider data broker removal services that handle all the heavy lifting for them, which includes erasing their personal information from data broker websites and the dark web. This removes the burden of work from athletes, allowing them to focus on their work and family life.
Avoid Public Sharing of Travel Schedules
While professional athletes are often celebrated for highlight-reel plays and record-breaking moments, we tend to overlook the grueling travel schedules they endure during the season, when they’re most vulnerable to a cybercriminal or digital thief.
To reduce further risk while away, athletes should always avoid sharing information about travel schedules or hotel locations, regardless of whether it’s on social media or in person.
Last year, Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were burglarized on the night of a game by cybercriminals who exploited publicly available player travel schedules and itineraries.
Athletes can also minimize risk by being cautious about how they communicate digitally when traveling. For example, using an encrypted virtual private network (VPN) service provides athletes a much safer alternative than poorly secured public Wi-Fi networks, which allow bad actors to snoop on internet activity and potentially steal valuable personal information.
Protect Homes and Personal Devices
Investing in DEP services to perform regular home network scans can help identify vulnerabilities and defend against bad actors seeking to monitor who is coming and going from the property and gaining access. This approach can also secure homes and protect athletes and their families from physical harm.
“Online crime rings are combining physical intelligence with open-source intelligence to determine when an athlete is home or away,” added Pierson. “By gaining the proverbial keys to an athlete’s digital and physical life, they can increase their chances of a successful burglary. For this reason, athletes should adopt a holistic approach that reduces physical risks to themselves and their family members with cyber protection on personal devices and home networks.”
Additionally, working with a security service that provides “always-on” monitoring and protection of their personal devices with proprietary, enterprise-grade protection software is another valuable tool in strengthening their defenses.
For more expert tips and best practices on minimizing digital risk, download BlackCloak’s essential guides for digital security.
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