Cyber Incident Victim: British Horseracing Authority
Date:
May 2025
Location:
United Kingdom
Summary
The British Horseracing Authority reported an IT incident believed to be a cyber attack and has launched an investigation with external specialists while informing law enforcement. Staff at the organization's London headquarters have been asked to work remotely as the inquiry proceeds, although race meetings continue to proceed normally. The incident appears confined to internal systems and data, and the organization is working to determine the scope and restore services. Other recent cyber incidents affecting retailers and the gambling sector were noted in the same context, but the organization's own operations remain focused on containment and recovery.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On Monday the British Horseracing Authority announced that it had begun investigating an IT incident that had been identified at the end of the previous week. The governing body said it had informed law enforcement authorities about the event and had asked staff based at its London head office to work remotely while the investigation proceeded. The BHA's head office is located in London. The BHA is the governing body for British racing. A spokesperson described the issue as an IT incident and said the organisation was working with external specialists to determine what had happened and to restore its systems safely.
The BHA emphasized that the incident had not affected the delivery of race meetings, which would continue to take place as normal, and that the issue appeared to be limited to its internal systems and data. It noted that the investigation was still in its early stages and that it would take some time to determine the full scope of what had occurred and to restore normal operations. The organization said it had kept colleagues, core industry stakeholders and law enforcement informed of developments.
The article places the BHA event in the context of other recent cyber incidents affecting UK businesses, noting that Marks & Spencer was still dealing with a ransomware attack that had occurred over Easter and was expected to disrupt the company into the following month, with a reported potential profit impact of £300 million. It also mentions that Co‑op’s supermarkets and funeral services were hit by an attack in April, and that Adidas, Cartier and Harrods had been impacted by hackers, while the gambling sector had previously seen MGM Resorts disclose a 2023 hack that would cost an estimated $100 million after being hacked.