NOW TRENDING IN: Stadium Security

Paris terror attacks, when a terrorist all organizations, but also often provide Best detonated an explosive belt outside the network connections for external users Stade de France after guards denied him such as fans and third-party vendors. Practice: entry into a soccer match. Had the blast In addition to storing sensitive Know occurred inside the 80,000-seat stadium, payment and health data, most teams news outlets speculated, it could have guard proprietary analytics and Who Owns caused “unimaginable carnage” and player evaluations, which could be the Technology “triggered a manic stampede.” worth millions of dollars. The danger “Technology can be a force More frequently, fans turn their of this data being stolen is no longer multiplier or a burden, depending aggression on one another. A number merely hypothetical. In early 2016, a upon how it is managed.” of teams have struggled to rein in fans former scouting director of a Major determined to engage in violence in League Baseball team pleaded guilty That’s according to the 2015 stadiums and parking lots. One infamous Intercollegiate Athletic 2011 incident left a San Francisco Safety and Security Best Giants fan in a medically induced coma Practices Guide, published by after he was beaten by two fans of ALL 31 the University of Southern KEEPING the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. Soccer NATIONAL Mississippi and the National stadiums around the world have FOOTBALL Center for Spectator Sports Players and Fans been the sites of fan riots that have Safety and Security. The sometimes culminated in fatalities. LEAGUE guide’s authors note that the Increasingly, stadium operators users of security-focused IT STADIUMS tools such as security cameras are relying on IT solutions to keep will have full walk-through and access card readers fans and players safe. “Technology is metal detectors in place are often not the personnel very important,” says Fred Roberts, by 2017. responsible for procuring and director of the Command, Control and managing these systems. Interoperability Center for Advanced Source: SportsBusiness Daily, “How SAFETo maintain a great experience, venues must Data Analysis at the Department of Because of this disconnect, the Paris Will Forever Change Event secure both physical and network assets. Homeland Security. “In stadiums, Security,” November 2015 report’s authors recommend all kinds of systems are now run creating a collaborative team by computers, including message that can “iron out” any issues On game days, sports arenas and send and store more and more boards, networked metal detectors to hacking into the player database between different stakeholders, stadiums transform into small cities, sensitive data on their IT networks. and access control for employees, and email system of a rival team. A establish who has control over with pro hockey and basketball venues delivery people and even the media.” U.S. attorney estimated that the hack various systems and ensure hosting upwards of 20,000 attendees, The Need for Venue Security Lou Marciani, director of the National cost the rival team $1.7 million. that all systems operate Major League Baseball parks holding The 1993 stabbing of tennis star Monica Center for Spectator Sports Safety and smoothly during events. 40,000 or more fans and pro and Seles is perhaps the most famous Security at the University of Southern Physical Security In particular, the report’s college football stadium capacities instance of a fan attacking a player, but Mississippi, also sees technology Video surveillance has come a long way authors recommend that this approaching or even exceeding 100,000. more than twenty years later, fan-on- playing a growing role in venue security. from grainy black-and-white feeds that collaborative team identify These crowds create an electric the-field incidents continue to occur “You’re seeing access control, you’re had to be monitored by a user in real who owns and has budget atmosphere, but they also present with alarming regularity. In the spring of seeing magnetometers at checkpoints time. IP-enabled cameras from vendors responsibility for various security challenges for stadium 2016, a fan joined players in their on-field for the identification of explosives, such as Axis and Cisco not only offer aspects of IT systems, including operators. Rowdy rival fans can often celebration after Chicago Cubs pitcher you’re seeing more sensors down the crisp resolution, but also often integrate purchase and installation, be a source of trouble, but security Jake Arrieta threw a no-hitter, and many road,” he says. “Biometrics are coming seamlessly with video management maintenance and service, priorities also include protecting lower-profile field trespassing incidents online, particularly in segmented areas systems that allow security personnel upgrades and enhancements, players, limiting access to restricted happen each year. of a stadium like media centers, weight to quickly search through footage in and security and hosting. Photo credits: areas, safeguarding against terrorist In the wake of the Sept. 11 terror rooms and administrative buildings.” the case of an incident. Some systems, juripozzi/AdobeStock strikes and planning for severe weather attacks, ballparks and stadiums are Technology solutions are also vital, for example, allow users to draw a 103tnn/AdobeStock and natural disasters. In recent years, increasingly seen as a potential “soft of course, for cybersecurity efforts digital box around an object and then robin/AdobeStock OSTILL/ThinkStock cybersecurity has risen on this list target” for terrorists — a fear that was at venues, which are not only vulnerable run a search for any movement in that Jupiterimages/ThinkStock of priorities, as teams and stadiums exacerbated by the November 2015 to the same sorts of attacks that affect area — a useful tool if, for example,

1 2 NOW TRENDING IN: Stadium Security CDW.com/sports | 800.800.4239 someone tampers with a precious The three different types of RFID — teams have implemented software that 100,000 to worry about a denial-of-service artifact on display in a team museum. low-frequency, high-frequency and analyzes multiple data sources, such as The number of potential cyberthreats discovered on attack on my facility,” he says. John Spade, vice president of IT for ultrahigh-frequency — each have their video monitoring and access tracking the wireless network at Levi’s Stadium in California Until recently, one of the Panthers’ the Florida Panthers, says the team own distinct advantages, Ramaprasad systems, to develop a comprehensive during Super Bowl 50 biggest cybersecurity nuisances is looking into cameras with facial explains. For example, ID cards utilizing view of a stadium and traffic within was ransomware, although Spade recognition capabilities, as well as ultrahigh-frequency RFID can be read it. This situational awareness can Source: says that problem has been Denver Post, “Denver startup on Super Bowl cybersecurity other biometric recognition systems, at greater distances, but that means a help venues improve their decision- mitigated by a change in the way the team found 100,000 threats,” March 2016 to provide access to restricted areas security guard is often needed to make making, simplify prioritization and make organization performs backups. of the arena. “It’s a way for players sure that unauthorized persons do not better use of available resources. Along with sophisticated to gain access to the building and attempt to sneak through a door when “We can do simulation modeling and administrators have full control financial data. Hackers might attempt cybersecurity tools and processes, practice facilities without having it opens for an approaching cardholder. to make predictions and look at the of the network devices,” Cole says. to gain access to credit card data stored Spades says, simple user training is to remember to carry something Some event organizers have even ‘what-ifs,’ ” Marciani says. “If there’s a “Stadiums, on the other hand, have on fans’ mobile devices by breaking into important. If a team uses a popular physical on them,” Spade says. “All begun replacing paper tickets with situation where we have to close Gate 6 to maintain the logistics and internal vulnerable apps, Cole says, or might software program to keep track of they have to bring is themselves.” RFID chips inside wristbands, especially because there’s an active shooter, what network of the stadium data traffic try to exploit widely used stadium its player evaluation notes, and users Radio frequency identification for concerts. These wristbands can does it mean for crowd management? while serving up thousands of apps by infecting them with malware either never change their default (RFID) tags, supplied by vendors such be used for cashless payments or That’s where this is going to.” concurrent data connections of mobile that later will give the hackers access passwords or use easily guessed as Zebra Technologies, are another to grant special access (such as VIP Wi-Fi traffic to attendees, providing to individual fans’ home or business passwords, that can present a huge popular method of providing access seating or backstage access), and venue Information Security a secure environment while offering networks after they download the virus. vulnerability, Spade notes. “I could controls. “We can issue cards that operators can use data generated by While sports stadiums and Internet service to tens of thousands To prevent such malicious activity, easily look up the usernames and see will tell you you’re allowed into the the wearables to better understand entertainment venues face many of of ‘untrusted’ wireless devices.” Cole advises stadium operators to put all of their notes on players,” he says. stadium, but you’re not allowed in the traffic flows and plan layouts. In 2015, the same cybersecurity challenges as To prevent stadiums from getting web application firewalls in place and “It’s not so much hacking; it’s just locker room,” says Ram Ramaprasad, Fast Company questioned whether RFID other organizations, they also have a hacked, Coles says, cybersecurity enforce security filters and firewall people being lazy on passwords.” director of product management for spelled “the death of the concert ticket.” unique subset of information security teams should assess the vulnerability of policies that prevent wireless devices His own organization isn’t immune Zebra. “Or you can get a card that Technology solutions can also concerns, says Daniel Cole, director of various IT assets and increase security from communicating with one another to the problem. When he first started says you’re allowed into the locker boost overall situational awareness products and solutions at Fortinet. measures for the most susceptible directly over the network. Sandboxing with the organization, Spade says, room and the stadium, but you’re by feeding into a centralized virtual “In most business environments, systems. “Having a security fabric and malware inspection systems, one of the most common user not allowed into the data center.” command center, says Marciani. Many traffic variations are fairly minimal, approach — including technologies Cole adds, can help cybersecurity passwords was “Panthers.” such as enterprise firewalls, wireless teams to analyze any files that are As in any organization, it can security products, specific application being transmitted to and from the be difficult to get users working security systems and advanced network to ensure that the network inside an arena or stadium to The Security Balance malware platforms — all are critical is not hosting malicious code. understand the importance of proper things to consider when building an Protecting day-to-day IT systems cyberhygiene. “I end up doing a lot Ensuring the physical safety of fans and players Fans can register with the scanning end-to-end defense strategy,” he says. such as user email is sometimes simpler of evangelizing,” Spade says. is a top priority for stadium operators, but it’s not program for free, and then they scan But, Cole adds, fan users are actually when these systems are hosted in their only priority. They must balance the need for their fingerprints when entering the the most likely target of hackers the cloud, says the Florida Panthers’ security against the need to provide an excellent stadium to verify their identities. Bags are still because their devices collectively Spade. “The advantage of increasingly fan experience. While travelers have become checked, fans must still present their tickets, and represent a potential gold mine of going to the cloud is that I don’t have accustomed to lengthy delays at airport security some fans are still randomly screened. But overall, checkpoints, most fans still expect to be able to the effect is similar to that of the Transportation enter sports venues relatively quickly, and they Security Administration’s precheck program for may begin to stay home if going to the ballpark airports: People get to where they’re going faster. becomes as burdensome as business travel. Other teams have tried to reduce wait time to  To learn more about how CDW’s sports and entertainment Recently, some teams have begun rolling get into the stadium by simply opening more solutions can help improve venue operations, visit CDW.com/sports. out biometric scanners that allow fans to entrance lanes. The Minnesota Vikings added 33 bypass the usual security checkpoints. The entrance lanes (a nearly 50 percent increase) at San Francisco Giants debuted one solution TCF Bank Stadium in 2015; two years before that, with a soft launch at AT&T Park in 2014, and the Carolina Panthers modified the North and The information is provided for informational purposes. It is believed to be accurate but could contain errors. CDW does not intend to make any the technology has since been used in Yankee East gates at Bank of America Stadium to allow warranties, express or implied, about the products, services, or information that is discussed. CDW®, CDW•G® and PEOPLE WHO GET IT® are Stadium in New York and Coors Field in Denver. nearly twice as many fans to be cleared for entry. registered trademarks of CDW LLC. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners. Together we strive for perfection. ISO 9001:2000 certified MKT14K684 — ©2016 CDW LLC

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