Exploiting the Big Game: How Fraudsters Capitalized During Super Bowl LX Amid a Rise in AI Agents

During Super Bowl LX on February 9, 2026, HUMAN Security observed a dramatic rise in cyberattacks across multiple sectors, with retail and financial services severely targeted. Retail scraping attacks surged by over 35%, with over 74 million incidents blocked. Financial service platforms faced a staggering 3,600% increase in account takeover attempts, while streaming services experienced a 1,365% rise in carding attacks. These events highlight how high-traffic scenarios create fertile ground for cybercriminals. Notably, attackers strategically timed their moves around the halftime show, exploiting user traffic patterns for maximum effect. AI agent activity also climbed by 5%, indicating a growing reliance on AI tools for tasks like account management. The overall uptick in invalid bid requests during the game underscores the complex challenges advertisers face in distinguishing legitimate traffic from malicious operations. Major events like the Super Bowl necessitate enhanced cybersecurity measures to combat these sophisticated fraud threats.

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