25M attacks or so they say...

Putin: World Cup triggered millions of cyberattacks on Russia

Russia neutralized close to 25M attacks during the major football tournament, president claims.

By LAURENS CERULUS

Russian security services blocked close to 25 million cyberattacks and malicious information campaigns during the World Cup, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in the wake of the tournament’s final.

“During the World Cup almost 25 million cyberattacks and other criminal attempts on Russia’s information infrastructure, connected in one way or another to the running of the football World Cup, were neutralized,” the president is quoted in a transcript of a meeting with security forces published Monday.

Cybersecurity researchers in the past showed cyberattacks often peak at global news events.

Putin addressed representatives of law enforcement agencies of up to 34 countries who worked with Russian security services during the World Cup event.