We’ve seen the protests in the streets, but now MessageLabs is warning that it has tracked 13 Olympic themed attacks, designed to spread malware and ultimately steal data.

The attacks are originating from IP addresses in Asia, but there’s no surprises here. The attackers are using social engineering to trick end users into clicking on a malicious link in an email message.

I was in San Francisco, attending RSA Conference 2008 when the Olympic torch was carried through the streets. All the security detail had to do to avoid protestors was to change the running route at the last minute. Unfortunately there’s no real “safe zone” in cyberspace.

Messages are being sent with legitimate-sounding subject titles such as “The Beijing 2008 Torch Relay” and “National Olympic Committee and Ticket Sales Agents,” MessageLabs said. Some attacks purport to be from the International Olympic Committee, based in Lausanne Switzerland.

Let’s be honest here, these guys aren’t protesting the Beijing Olympics, they’re trying to steal identities and make a quick buck. They’re also doing a good job staying under the radar, according to MessageLabs. They’re using Microsoft Office Database (MDB) files–usually hidden within a ZIP files–in order to avoid detection by traditional antivirus engines.