In the wake of the M&S and Co-op hacks, the constant news updates and empty shelves reminded us all that regardless of the type of organisation, there is information that hackers want, and if they get it, there can be real consequences for businesses and their customers.

With M&S estimating an eye-watering £300 million hit to its profits and taking months to bring back certain functions, it is the prime example of the costly and damaging impact of a major security breach.

For events, the stakes are undoubtably high. A successful hack could destroy months or years of careful planning. Which is why everyone involved in event delivery, from operations and marketing teams, all the way up to senior leadership, should have a clear understanding of the cybersecurity landscape. Informed decisions about technology selection and risk management can't, and shouldn’t, rest solely with IT teams.

With the right knowledge and tech partner, managing these threats becomes far more achievable – in fact, at ASP, 45% of the traffic we receive is classified as malicious or non-genuine: traffic that is identified and blocked immediately. 

Events of all kinds, from trade shows to conferences, present a unique mix of vulnerabilities that make them especially attractive to cybercriminals: rich speaker and attendee data, business-sensitive content and in most cases payment and financial information. Unlike most websites with steady, year-round traffic, event sites see dramatic spikes in Q1 and Q4 - periods that can draw in a surge in legitimate users and a rise in malicious activity.

These bursts of user activity create prime opportunities for attackers, particularly when security teams are already operating at their capacity. Of course, while cybercriminals are quick to exploit these surges, the threat isn’t limited to peak periods – attacks remain a risk that demands all-year-round vigilance.

Beyond simple data and financial gain, there are different kinds of information hackers can profit from: they will target event technology to cause reputational damage or even merely cause disruption. Today’s bots and attackers are highly sophisticated as they simulate real user behaviour to avoid detection, designed to flood server resources without triggering standard protections.

SQL Injection Attacks

One of the most common and dangerous threats comes through SQL injection attacks, where attackers exploit registration forms and other input fields. Instead of entering legitimate information, an attacker might input something like:

john.doe@company.com ' OR '1'='1'; --

If the system isn't properly secured, this malicious input can trick the database into exposing or, in worst-case scenarios, destroying information. These attacks specifically target public-facing forms, which are abundant on event platforms.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

Cross-site scripting attacks involve injecting malicious scripts into pages viewed by public users. These attacks can compromise user experience and data security, potentially allowing attackers to steal session cookies, redirect users to malicious sites, or capture sensitive information.

Automated Bot Attacks

Beyond manual attacks, event platforms face sophisticated automated threats. These include data scraping operations and advanced bots that mimic human behaviour to avoid detection. Some bots are designed to flood server resources without triggering standard protections and gradually degrading performance, making them particularly difficult to defend against.  

The attack lifecycle

Understanding how attacks unfold helps in developing better defences. A typical attack might follow three phases:

• Phase 1: Reconnaissance - Attackers scan multiple websites for vulnerable forms and identify potential entry points. This phase often goes undetected as attackers gather information about the target system.
• Phase 2: Exploitation - Once vulnerabilities are identified, attackers test malicious inputs and attempt to breach security measures. This is where proper input validation and sanitisation become critical.
• Phase 3: Damage - If successful, attackers proceed with data theft, alteration, or system disruption. What starts as minor probes can escalate to major breaches if not properly contained.
   

Event companies should be aware of the signs that may indicate a level of inadequate digital security:

• Missing or expired SSL certificates (no HTTPS enforcement)
• Outdated plugins and libraries
• Suspicious external scripts from unknown domains
• Sites appearing on spam or reputation blacklists

The presence of any of these issues should trigger a review and reinforcement of security measures.

Event platforms face unique security challenges that demand specialised expertise and proactive defence strategies. The combination of valuable data, seasonal traffic patterns and high-stakes business operations makes security a critical consideration, not an afterthought.

Which is why at ASP we specialise in delivering not only seamless functionality, but also embedded, multi-layered cybersecurity.

This approach includes:

Network-Level Protection

Advanced Web Application Firewalls (WAF) provide real-time traffic monitoring and analysis. These systems use rate limiting to block excessive requests, reputation tracking to identify known threats, and pattern recognition for threat detection. The key is distinguishing between legitimate traffic spikes (such as newsletter-driven traffic or ticket releases) and malicious floods.

Application-Level Security

Input validation and query sanitisation prevent malicious code from reaching the database. Secure coding practices and regular dependency auditing ensure that vulnerabilities are identified and patched quickly. This includes reviewing and updating software packages to address newly discovered security flaws.

Infrastructure Security

Data encryption both at rest and in transit provides protection even if other security measures fail. Restricted and audited access controls ensure that only authorised personnel can access sensitive systems. Auto-scaling capabilities handle legitimate traffic spikes while content caching optimises performance.

Incident Response

Automated monitoring and alerting systems enable rapid response, within minutes rather than hours. Practiced recovery procedures and minimal disruption protocols ensure that even in the rare occasion when an attack manages to pass one of the protective functions, the impact is contained, and services are restored quickly.

At ASP, we understand that cyber threats are inevitable. What sets us apart is our ability to detect and block this malicious traffic in real time, preventing it from reaching your site’s core systems.

By selecting the right security partner and staying alert to emerging threats, event organisers can safeguard their reputation, protect attendees, and ensure business continuity, all while delivering standout experiences.

With this trusted security in place, organisers are free to focus on what truly matters: delivering successful, memorable events.