Olympics
FBI suspects cyber threat; asks US athletes to use burner phones at 2022 Beijing Olympics
In many western countries including the USA, athletes have been asked to leave their personal phones at home while participating in the Beijing Winter Olympics.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has asked USA athletes participating in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics to use burner phones, giving a clear warning of potential cyber threat at the Games, according to an ANI report.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said that the FBI has suggested US Olympic athletes leave their personal devices at home. "The FBI urges all athletes to keep their personal cell phone at home and use a temporary phone while attending the events," the CISA said in the statement.
It is also reported that the National Olympic Committees in many western countries have also asked their athletes to leave their personal devices at home and use temporary phones while in Beijing for security concerns.
Earlier a report had also accused China of spying on the athletes and attendees at the Winter Olympics. It said the mandatory Beijing 2022 Olympics app for athletes and their staff is reportedly collecting and sending sounds to Chinese servers.
The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics is set to begin on February 4, even after several controversies about the event have been continuously surfacing on the internet.