Cybersecurity for Events: Strategies for Building a Whole-Team Approach

Cybersecurity threats don’t always arrive in dramatic fashion. Sometimes, they sneak in through a forgotten laptop, a poorly secured Wi-Fi network, or a phishing email that looks just convincing enough to trick someone during a hectic moment. For event professionals juggling complex logistics and fast-paced decision-making, cybersecurity can feel like a separate world, something for IT to handle. But that mindset is exactly what makes events vulnerable.

In reality, cybersecurity is a team sport. From the person scanning tickets to the person managing finances, every member of your event staff has a role to play in keeping your systems and your guests safe.

Why Events Are a Prime Target

Events bring together large crowds, sensitive data, financial transactions, and tight timelines, all of which make them attractive targets for cybercriminals. Ticketing systems, vendor communications, staff credentials, and even event apps can be exploited if they're not properly protected. And because events are temporary by nature, there can be less structure and fewer redundancies in place than in a traditional business environment. That’s why it’s essential to embed cybersecurity into your event planning process as a core element of your safety and operations plan.

Step 1: Build Awareness Across the Team

You don’t need everyone on your team to become a cybersecurity expert. But you do need them to understand that their actions matter.

Start with the basics:

• Explain the types of cyber threats relevant to events, including phishing, ransomware, credential theft, and unauthorized access to Wi-Fi networks.
• Use real examples, such as high-profile breaches at festivals or ticket platforms, to make the risks feel more tangible.
• Train staff to recognize red flags like unusual email requests, fake login pages, or someone trying to access secure systems without proper credentials.

Keep the tone practical and non-technical. The goal is to build a culture where people feel confident reporting concerns, not afraid of getting it wrong.

Step 2: Integrate Cybersecurity into Your Planning

Just like you plan for weather, crowd control, or medical incidents, cybersecurity needs a place in your risk matrix.

Some practical integration points include:

• Manage access control systems carefully to ensure that only the people to need access to key systems have it and that their credentials are strong and unique.
• If you’re using outside vendors for ticketing, live streaming, or apps, understand their security protocols. Ask what happens if their system goes down or is breached.
• Find out who on your team handles a suspected cyberattack and if they have a plan for isolating devices and notifying stakeholders. When you run tabletop exercises, include these scenarios.

Step 3: Connect Cybersecurity and Physical Security

Cybersecurity and physical security are often treated as separate silos, but at events, they’re deeply intertwined. For example:

• A hacker might attempt to gain physical access to your command center to plug in a malicious USB device.
• An unauthorized drone could livestream private elements of your event, raising both digital and physical security concerns.
• A lost tablet could expose sensitive attendee data if not properly encrypted.

Encourage your security team to coordinate with your IT or operations staff so they can flag overlapping vulnerabilities and share real-time updates during the event.

Step 4: Empower, Don’t Overwhelm

The best defense is a staff that knows how to respond quickly and appropriately, who are not frozen by uncertainty or bogged down in jargon. Provide simple, repeatable guidance for key scenarios:

• What to do if a device is lost
• How to report suspicious emails or login activity
• Who to contact if something feels off

Post reminders in staff-only areas or include digital hygiene in pre-event briefings. Reinforce the idea that cybersecurity is part of everyone’s job and not just one person’s, or department’s, responsibility.

Closing Thoughts

Cybersecurity threats are evolving, but so are the strategies for defending against them. By building a whole-team approach, you reduce your risks, build trust with attendees and partners, and make your event operations stronger across the board.

Remember: your team doesn’t need to know everything – they just need to know their role, feel confident acting on it, and have support when they raise the flag.