The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has now become the latest major organization to be targeted by a significant cyberattack. The important sporting body, which is responsible for the governance and regulation of horse racing, first identified a ransomware incident. This occurred at the end of last week, prompting an immediate and comprehensive internal investigation into the security breach. The BHA’s main London office is now temporarily closed, and all of its staff have been asked to work from home or remotely. This measure was taken to ensure the security and integrity of their systems while the ongoing investigation proceeds further.
A spokesperson for the BHA stated that they recently identified and immediately began investigating an IT incident with their teams. They are currently working at pace with external cybersecurity specialists to determine what exactly happened in more detail and to safely restore systems. They have also officially informed all of their colleagues, core industry stakeholders, and the relevant law enforcement agencies about this incident. This communication ensures that all relevant parties are aware of the situation and the steps being taken to address it now.
The spokesperson emphasized the delivery of all racedays has continued as normal and will continue to do so without any interruption.
This ongoing investigation into the cyberattack is still in its very early stages, and it is expected to take some time. The organization needs to determine what has taken place and to fully restore the BHA’s various internal systems securely. It is currently understood that this security incident appears to be limited to only the BHA’s internal systems and its data. This suggests that public-facing services and the core operations of racing events have not been directly impacted by the attack. The focus remains on understanding the full scope of the breach and ensuring a safe restoration of all affected IT infrastructure.
A number of prominent retailers have been hit by similar cybersecurity issues in recent months, highlighting a very concerning trend.
Marks & Spencer, for instance, is still dealing with a ransomware attack that took place over the Easter holiday period this year. That “highly sophisticated and targeted” attack is expected to cost the major company approximately £300 million in profits this year alone. Operations at Co-op’s supermarkets and also its funeral services were also hit by a separate attack in April of this year. Adidas, Cartier, and Harrods are among the other well-known companies which have recently been impacted by various different cyberattacks.
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