IT security top of the agenda as Olympics tickets go on sale

London 2012 organisers turn to technology to tackle ticket touts and online scammers

As tickets for London's 2012 Olympics go on sale today, organising committee London 2012 has revealed how it is using IT to battle ticket touts and online scammers.

London 2012 has already seen a proliferation of fake web sites and phishing scams aimed at luring customers into purchasing fake tickets.

"We are aware that London 2012's name has been abused in relation to some email scams and other fraudulent or inappropriate conduct," London 2012 said in a statement.

It added that those applying for London 2012 tickets can use its online web site checker to ensure the site is an Authorised Ticket Reseller.

In addition, it will use specialist software designed to identify unusual buying patterns, and all tickets will have built-in security measures to make their origin traceable.

London 2012 has also published a comprehensive guide on how to stay clear of fake tickets.

Phil Turnbull, product manager at Hostway, believes the London 2012 team has done a good job in putting secure IT in place to support ticket sales.

"Making sure in advance that there was the right technology to cope with thousands of people accessing the site simultaneously appears to have paid off. By building sufficient capacity and utilising traffic management, the organisers have so far provided an excellent service to those eager to get their hands on tickets to the Games," he said.

However, Colin Rowland, senior VP at OpTier, believes that the real challenge for the committee begins now.

"The experience for 2012 starts when visitors apply for tickets. All too often, over-stretched IT systems let ticketing web sites down when IT systems become overloaded due to mass demand. Monitoring end-user experience in real time and tackling performance issues before they affect the public will be crucial for delivering a world-class experience as the starting pistol fires for the Olympic Games," he said.