The Texas Rangers added layers of security to the fan experience throughout their World Series run, thanks to Lumen Technologies, a Louisiana-based telecommunications company specializing in cybersecurity, network services, and cloud solutions.
Through their partnership with the club, Lumen provided Arlington’s Globe Life Field with on-demand distributed denial of service (DDoS) to protect stadium Wi-Fi, networking, and other aspects of the fan experience from cyberattacks, which have become an increased threat to live sporting events.
“Cybersecurity is increasingly crucial in high-profile sporting events like the World Series. We left nothing to chance,” senior vice president of information technology for the Texas Rangers Mike Bullock explained in a news release. “Lumen DDoS Hyper was instrumental in providing rapid, effective protection against complex cyberattacks, providing a seamless experience for our team and fans.”
Microsoft has previously warned people about the increased frequency of cyberattacks at live sporting events, citing the utility for hackers present in gaining competitive advantages over teams or access to personal information. It has been recommended that on-site vendors crack down on customer privacy and attendees avoid connecting to the venue’s Wi-Fi networks to combat the issue.
According to SC Magazine, recent events in the last few years, like the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2018 Winter Olympics, were subject to millions of cyberattacks.
However, Lumen found a way around potential attacks by using its Black Lotus Labs practice to reroute the traffic through global scrubbing centers, avoid interruptions, and keep traffic flowing.
“Lumen stepped up to the plate to help protect the Texas Rangers and their fans from the disruptive effects of DDoS attacks,” Martin Nystrom, Lumen’s vice president of product security, added.
“Lumen DDoS Hyper gave the Rangers a self-service way to quickly turn up mitigation services to combat complex and costly threats. Our advanced scrubbing center technology combined with our Black Lotus Labs threat intelligence helped us create a safe environment while the team concentrated on delivering an electrifying performance.”
