CIS Outlines Five Steps to Secure Cities Hosting Large-Scale Events
Summary
CIS recommends layered venue security, suspicious-activity reporting, cybersecurity controls, defenses against information operations, and coordinated communications to help cities prepare for large-scale events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Key points
- Conduct venue-specific risk assessments covering physical security, crowd flow, cyber-enabled systems, and service disruptions.
- Train staff and establish reporting channels for suspicious activity.
- Apply baseline safeguards such as MFA, patching, network segmentation, secure configurations, and offline backups.
- Use threat intelligence and prepare incident-response playbooks; protect public-facing systems against DDoS attacks.
- Train communications teams to identify AI-generated or manipulated content and counter false narratives.
- Coordinate emergency plans, exercises, authenticated public communication channels, and verification of hoax threats.
Article Details
- Topic
- Recommended security measures for cities preparing to host large-scale events, including FIFA World Cup 2026.
Vendors
Center for Internet Securityofficials, and insight from related municipalities and FIFA World Cup 2026 Host Cities, the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®) recommends the following five mitigation measures as part of a comprehensive approachCybersecurity and Infrastructure Security AgencyConduct a venue-specific risk assessment using the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA's) Security Planning Workbook addressing physical perimeters, crowd flow, and cyber-enabled systems (e.g.,Department of Homeland SecurityTrain venue staff, transportation personnel, and volunteers on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) U.S.Federal Bureau of InvestigationTrain venue staff, transportation personnel, and volunteers on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) U.S.National Counterterrorism CenterTrain venue staff, transportation personnel, and volunteers on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) U.S.
Products
CIS BenchmarksApply the CIS Benchmarks® to all applicable systems on your network.CIS Critical Security ControlsImplement the CIS Critical Security Controls® (CIS Controls®) to identify all critical tournament systems, assign ownership, and enforce baseline safeguards, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), patching, and
Countries
CanadaFor instance, at the time of publication, cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico are preparing to host millions of fans, players, and spectators for FIFA World Cup 2026.MexicoFor instance, at the time of publication, cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico are preparing to host millions of fans, players, and spectators for FIFA World Cup 2026.United StatesFor instance, at the time of publication, cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico are preparing to host millions of fans, players, and spectators for FIFA World Cup 2026.