Cybersecurity firm shows spikes in malicious traffic leading up to and during high-profile sporting events
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2025 -- DNSFilter today released information gathered through its DNS content filtering platform regarding gambling traffic, both malicious and legitimate, in the lead up to Super Bowl LIX. The data showcases key threats during the NFL playoff season, particularly in January during the NFL playoffs, where unsanctioned streaming and gambling activities increased.
On the day of the Super Bowl, DNSFilter blocked 57% more malicious content related to gambling and betting compared to the rest of the NFL post-season. Previous high spikes to these malicious betting sites coincided with Super Bowl LVIII and 2024 March Madness.
Since sports betting is now legal in a majority of US states, overall traffic to DNSFilter's gambling category has increased over the last year. Compared to the same timeframe last February, daily traffic to all gambling sites has increased 71%, surpassing DNSFilter's overall network growth of 16%.
Other key statistics and insights from DNSFilter's research, focusing on online threats leading up to the 2025 Super Bowl, include:
Streaming Media and Malware:
- A 15% increase in illegal streaming and torrenting traffic related to fake streaming sites during championship weekend compared to the previous average held between May and December 2024, indicating an escalating risk of security issues tied to streaming during major NFL events. This week had the highest traffic to illegal streaming sites ever on the DNSFilter network. Unauthorized streaming is a common risk factor for organizations, especially with unmanaged devices accessing potentially harmful content.
Threats by Domain:
- Domains related to the NFL have been seeing increased security threats, with spikes in malicious activity associated with streaming sites, gambling and possibly phishing attacks targeting Super Bowl fans or bettors.
- Threat domains with "football" in the domain name surged in January, with spikes on January 14, the day after Super Wild Card Weekend, and Super Bowl Sunday.
Fake Betting Site Trends:
- A significant 20% of malicious gambling domains identified during the NFL playoffs used a string of numbers in their names, a common tactic for "mirror" sites that attempt to evade detection. If you're unsure of the legitimacy of a gambling site, this is an indicator that it may be a scam.
- Most malicious domains related to betting were categorized as malware, while most traffic came from newly registered domains.
- A site with a captcha does not necessarily mean it is safe. Some malicious sites will show a captcha before entering because the host is suspicious of the site, but has not taken it down. DNSFilter encountered a handful of fake betting sites with Captchas during this investigation.
TK Keanini, CTO, DNSFilter, said: "Our technology prevents access to unwanted content by identifying and categorizing threats and harmful sites before a connection is made. With real-time insights into evolving tactics, we're committed to staying a step ahead, safeguarding users from threats tied to high-profile events like the Super Bowl. By continuously educating and protecting users, we can help foster a safer online environment during sporting events and beyond."
About the company:
DNSFilter is redefining how organizations secure their largest threat vector: the Internet itself. DNSFilter is making the Internet safer and workplaces more productive by blocking threats at the DNS layer. DNSFilter resolves upwards of 170 billion daily queries. With 79% of attacks using Domain Name System (DNS), DNSFilter provides the world's fastest protective DNS powered by AI, blocking threats an average of 10 days faster than traditional threat feeds. Over 35 million users trust DNSFilter to protect them from phishing, malware, and advanced cyber threats.
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