Manchester United hit by 'sophisticated' cyberattack

Old Trafford Manchester United
(Image credit: Shutterstock.com / Nook Thitipat)

Top English football team Manchester United have revealed it was recently hit by a significant cyberattack.

The Premier League giants said that the "sophisticated" attack came shortly before it played at the weekend, leading it to shut down several internal systems. 

One of the richest football clubs in the world, Manchester United said that fan data was unaffected by the attack, meaning subscribers to the club's social media, website and official app should still be safe.

Top tier

"The club has taken swift action to contain the attack and is working with expert advisers to investigate the incident," an official statement issued by the club said.

"Our cyber defences identified the attack and shut down affected systems to contain the damage and protect data. We are not currently aware of any breach of personal data associated with our fans and customers. All critical systems required for matches to take place at Old Trafford remain secure and operational."

“These type of attacks are becoming more and more common and are something you have to rehearse for.”

The club says it has informed the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) about the attack, noting that "forensic tracing" is now underway as it looks to identify and uncover more detail about the attack.

It added that it had "extensive protocols and procedures" in place to deal with such incidents, and that the club had "rehearsed the risk" of suffering similar attacks.

Via BBC Sport

Mike Moore
Deputy Editor, TechRadar Pro

Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK's leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he's not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.