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Bookies step up hacker defences
By Raoul Simons, Evening Standard Last updated at 00:00am on 17.03.04Britain's biggest bookmaker has been targeted for ransom money by computer hackers.
William Hill admitted that they were threatened by the cyber extortionists last week in the run-up to the Cheltenham Festival.
All bookmakers were today on high alert against fresh attempts to sabotage their business in one of the busiest weeks in the year.
Betting companies Totalbet and UK betting yesterday saw their websites paralysed by "criminal elements" in the latest strike on the gambling industry.
The culprits are believed to be a gang of extortionists - possibly from Eastern Europe or the Far East. The hackers threaten to bombard bookmakers' internet service providers with bogus emails unless they are paid money.
Totalbet and UK betting were struck in this way forcing the suspension of their websites on one of their busiest days of the year.
Both William Hill and Coral admitted they are preparing for a new wave of attacks. William Hill spokesman David Hood said: "We have been on alert for six months since it became apparent that these attacks were going on.
"There was an attack on our system last Thursday night after we received a ransom demand for 10,000 dollars.
"We didn't pay it and we absolutely refuse to give in to extortion. If an attack comes, we will have to sweat it out. You can only prepare for them and see how your systems react once they are hit.
"The attacks are on the increase and it is difficult to know how they can be countered. It's also difficult to be sure who's behind them. There is so much speculation - Eastern Europeans, Antiguans, Russians and even suggestions of involvement from Taiwan."
Coral's Simon Clare added: "After suffering an attack a few weeks ago, we are working on technical solutions. We will never give them a cent."
The betting exchange Betdaq was targeted last Friday with hackers forcing the suspension of their service for several hours. The major bookmaking firms are working closely with BT and the Government's National Hi-Tech Crime Unit to counter the threat.
