England World Cup tactics may be hacked by Russia, FA is told

SECURITY services have warned England’s football bosses the team’s tactics could be stolen by Russian cyber hackers during the World Cup.

The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) has advised the Football Association on protecting sensitive data contained on computers and mobile phones being taken to the tournament.

England fly to Russia today, staying at their base – the Forrest mix Club Hotel in Repino, outside St Petersburg – and flying to games from there.

It has been suggested that all England players have been given new phones, laptops and even video games consoles to take with them, for fear their own devices are at risk of being hacked.

The FA has declined to comment on security arrangements.

But a well-placed source has told The Daily Telegraph that football bosses were warned that material that includes team tactics and statistical information on players is likely to be subjected to cyber attack.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a branch of the GCHQ set up to protect British interests from cyber attack, met with the FA’S computer technology team last month to advise on protecting their systems when in Russia.

‘The FA has been told how to secure its devices and all its data... nobody wants it to fall into the wrong hands’

The well-placed source said: “The FA has been told how to secure its devices and how to secure all its data. The FA keeps data on individuals and being a sensible organisation it wants to protect that data.

“The FA has information on players such as their diets; as well as tactical information that nobody wants to fall into the wrong hands.”

But the football body has declined to comment on its security arrangements “for obvious reasons”. The NCSC said the organisation was “in the business of helping organisations and individuals to protect their devices from cyber threats” and confirmed it had briefed the FA.

A spokesman said: “The NCSC is providing expert cyber security advice to the Football Association ahead of their departure to Russia for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.”

Fancy Bear, a cyber espionage group linked to Russian military intelligence, was responsible for the leaking of the personal medical history of Sir Bradley Wiggins – the Olympic champion and Tour de France cyclist – that first disclosed his use of Therapeutic Use Exemption certificates to treat hay fever.

The exemptions allowed Sir Bradley to legally take banned substances before big races, including the 2012 Tour de France, which he won.

Footballers subject to cyber attack may also be vulnerable to blackmail, it is feared.

Compromising material – known in Russia as ‘kompromat’ – is prized by Russian intelligence agencies and cyber hackers