The temporary nature of major events makes them vulnerable to infiltration and sabotage. Security protocols are often established and modified ‘on the fly’ to accommodate the changing realities of the event. For events with large crowds, the potential for confusion and the onset of mass panic is heightened in a crisis.

For the organisers, the diversity of assets, people and systems in place make major events a highly complicated security challenge. They need to accommodate with participants and visitors safely but with minimal disruption – but these two factors often conflict with one another. Ultimately, any reported breach in security (physical or digital) will immediately damage the organiser’s credibility to run future events, while potentially putting numerous lives at risk.