IT Teams Countdown to Olympics - "Will it take your network down?"

IT Teams Countdown to Olympics - "Will it take your network down?"
With only 10 days until the opening ceremonies, will the Olympics plague IT teams this year - the first time copious streaming content will be available?
 
NBCOlympics.com will be offering 3,600 hours of streaming coverage of the games, as well blogging, analysis, and even fantasy league gaming.  How can businesses prepare themselves for potential "August Madness"? High volumes of digital traffic will be flowing, drawing the eyes of cyber criminals. What attacks are lurking on the wires that computer users should be aware of during the games?
 
Please let me know if you would like to speak with Derek Manky, a security researcher at Fortinet, about network and online security issues that may plague businesses during the Olympics, which kick off on 8/08/08. Derek has access to worldwide data on social engineering scams, online identity theft, data leakage, phishing, targeted spam attacks, and emerging threats, and can talk about breaking threats associated with the games.
 
Derek can also discuss best practices for using Web filtering in the workplace, including communicating with employees about using the Internet at work, setting a cohesive web use policy, how filtering mitigates legal liability at work, and how to tune web filters for seasonal online events such as the Olympics.
 
For your reference, below are a few Fortinet best practices for online safety during the Olympics and beyond!
 
Fortinet's Best Practices for Online Safety During the Olympics
 
Have Clear Internet Use Policies-Make sure employees and new hires know the corporate policy on Web use, whether their Internet usage is tracked and how this impacts their performance review
Avoid Draconian Filtering Practices- Businesses that use filtering solutions to control Web site access should communicate what types of sites are blocked, and if the NBCOlympics.com site will be restricted. While blocking all access is an option, consider offering limited access so employees can enjoy the games without impacting their work. This also instills good will among the workforce. Suggestions to consider:
Off hours access: Set filters to enable access before work, during lunch and after work hours 
Periodic access: Set filters to limit access to a preset amount of time (15 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.)
Localize full access: Enable access to the Olympics from cafeterias and break rooms
Never Follow Unsolicited Links Suggested by a Third Party-Instead, open your browser and type in the URL for the site you want to visit
Use and Update Security Solutions-Have an effective anti-spam, web-filtering and anti-virus solution in place and make sure to keep them updated
"Pick Before You Click" -Take a couple of seconds to have a look at the link you are about to follow. Always be aware of links attempting to look legitimate by using typos or odd sub-domains.
Guard Privacy-Never give out personal information such as bank accounts, credit cards or passwords at the request of a third party.
Know Thy Vendor-When giving out personal information to conduct an online transaction, be sure the vendor is a trusted source and the transaction is conducted over a secure connection.
Educate Key Issues - Employees should be well aware of security risks, especially during heightened alert periods. Simple education to protect against social engineering attacks is recommended.
Patch, Patch, Patch - All software, especially browsers and operating systems, should be up to date with the latest updates / patches. This will ensure that exploit holes are closed so that remote attackers cannot utilize known vulnerabilities.