ENGLAND PLAYERS AND staff have been advised not to use public or hotel Wi-Fi should they qualify for next summer’s World Cup in Russia.
The BBC reports that the FA are concerned confidential information regarding tactics, injury, and squad selection could be hacked and exposed should members of England’s prospective World Cup party make use of a public connection.
Worries over data theft have increased following last month’s Fancy Bears hack in relation to the use of banned substances in football.
The cyber group claimed in the information released that 160 players had failed drugs tests in 2015, with the number rising to 200 last year.
The FA has sent a letter to Fifa regarding the issue of IT security, to which the world governing body responded: “Fifa has informed the FA that [it] remains committed to preventing security attacks in general and that, with respect to the Fancy Bears attack in particular, it is presently investigating the incident to ascertain whether Fifa’s infrastructure was compromised.
Such investigation is still ongoing. For the purposes of computer security in general, Fifa is itself relying on expert advice from third parties. It is for this reason that Fifa cannot and does not provide any computer security advice to third parties.
Zoe Kleinman, technology reporter with the BBC, outlined why England will need to take extra precautions in Russia, from where many cyber attacks are believed to originate:
“Once a hacker has access to a Wi-Fi router they can snoop on any of the data being shared on other devices that are connected to it. They can also install a digital backdoor to guarantee re-entry should their access be blocked.
It would also be easy to spoof a free Wi-Fi hotspot, so that the user might think they were logging on via an official platform but what they would actually be doing is opening up their entire device to a scammer.
“Messaging apps such as Whatsapp and Signal use end-to-end encryption, which means messages cannot be read if they are intercepted – the players will no doubt be encouraged to communicate using the most secure possible platforms.”
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They ain’t getting Ronaldo. He wants to leave Utd ’cause he wants Champions league and that’s fair enough, but I think he has principles and he won’t go to Chelsea. Plus, I can’t see Utd selling him to a Premiership rival. They’d leave him on the bench before selling him to them.
@Stephen Foster: he was on the verge of signing for city before United upped his wage so don’t think his principles are as strong as you think.
@Stephen Foster: if he wants to leave and champions league probably only Man City, PSG or Chelsea can afford his wages. That’s a very small market.
Not saying Utd can’t afford to force him to stay and to keep him on the bench, but wouldn’t that be a terrible move. Although keeping an unhappy player against his will, on one of the biggest wages in world football is very on brand for Man Utd
@Paul Mallon: fair enough but that’s a bit cynical. The man doesn’t need money and I don’t think that motivates him. City were clearly the more obvious club that would provide him a platform to win things but he still went with Utd. I can’t see him going to a rival. It’s Europe or nothing. Plus I think there’s a possibility he’s doing it to motivate transfers. He’s pissed off Utd haven’t improved the squad yet.
@Stephen Foster: Would be funny if he joined chelsea. Man utd fans would lose their minds
@Paddy Kavanagh: why? Its not liverpool or city is it? I wouldn’t be too arsed if he went to london to be honest
@Paddy Kavanagh: yeah would be hilarious alright paddy but I don’t think the majority of utd fans would mind seeing him sign for Chelsea? I still think he will be a utd player come the start of the season though??
Say goodbye to the dressing room if you stick those two in it.
I hope Chelsea don’t buy he’s not a team player Ronaldo only thinks of Ronaldo nobody else he’s a glory hunter and not worth the amount club pay for him it’s ridiculous