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back to article Bloke, 27, arrested, tech gear seized by cops over UK Sports Direct hack

A 27-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the hacking of Sports Direct's internal website for employees, The Register can reveal. The man, who has not been identified, was cuffed on suspicion of computer misuse offences amid an investigation into the attack on the UK's largest sports retail business last September …

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  1. Oh Homer
    Paris Hilton

    "urge workers to change passwords"

    From "password" to "password1".

    IME.

    2 0 Reply
  2. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    "a phone number had been left on the site"

    Just a phone number? No name and address? However did they trace him?

    4 0 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      It was his home number because lets face it, trying to extort money from scrooge company that has clearly demonstrated on multiple occasions how it doesn't give a shit about it's workers is a bit stupid.

      1 0 Reply
  3. creepy gecko

    Incoming: Harsh action from ICO?

    Probably not.

    I expect the Information Commissioner's Office will make someone sit on the naughty step over this breach, but only for a very short time. I don't anticipate much more happening to Sports Direct, as they'll obviously promise to try and do a bit better in future.

    Maybe next time...

    2 0 Reply
    1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Incoming: Harsh action from ICO?

      Yes, that.

      But "ICO guidelines encouraging..." is the prime problem. "Guidelines", not laws. "encourage" not require.

      0 0 Reply
    2. Trigonoceps occipitalis
      Reply Icon

      Re: Incoming: Harsh action from ICO?

      "... as they'll obviously promise to try and do a bit better in future."

      Oh come on, that's no good. What about learning lessons?

      0 0 Reply
  4. nematoad
    Unhappy

    Grr.

    OK then, here's a question.

    Who is guiltier, the numpties running this portal or the bloke that hacked it?

    The law will come down like a ton of bricks on this poor sod and leave the managers of the company with nothing but a bit of egg on their faces.

    5 0 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Grr.

      You mean, just like TalkTalk ??

      4 0 Reply
      1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge
        Reply Icon

        Re: Grr.

        "You mean, just like TalkTalk ??"

        Maybe not. Sports Direct doesn't have the Establishment connections that TT has. Quite the opposite as they've already annoyed an HoC committee.

        1 0 Reply
    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Grr.

      HAHA!

      "We erected very strong, cardboard doors to our premises! If you so much as break in, or just walk through them, and we can figure out who you are, well, matey, you're in for some serious trouble, I can tell you, me old son!"

      Here's a hint: When you hack a complainy target, be sure and do it with disposable (or hidden_MAC) hardware on a stolen wifi, that is not also directly next to your flat. It's not that hard to hide.

      3 1 Reply
  5. JaitcH
    Meh

    Never Cared for The Cloud - Better to Use Your Own Storage Off-Site/Out-Of-Country

    The ease with which Plod or Cops can seize accounts, etc. can only exist because you don't have personal control of the data that you have when the data is in your own equipment.

    The Plod/Cops also know about WiFi connected storage in nearby sites as a few dealers in graphical material in the USA have discovered. The only way is to store sensitive/purloined data on a server in a country whose judicial interests are less concerned with computer technology. The Continent of Africa offers several solutions.

    1 0 Reply
  6. DNTP

    What is the value of employee data?

    Company lawyer in court: "The value of this data to our corporation is effectively priceless, therefore we are not going to accept anything less than the highest settlement and stiffest sentence against the defendant."

    Company HR rep email to all staff: "Nothing of value to us was stolen, and you'd never be able to prove that this directly led to your identity being stolen, so don't even try suing us over our obvious negligence. In fact we wouldn't even be telling you this if the communists in the media hadn't picked it up, that's how little you mean to us."

    3 0 Reply
  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Given Sports Direct has a massive warehouse and office in Shirebrook, odds on this is an inside job. Perhaps less "hacking" and more "using some credentials from outside work"

    5 0 Reply
    1. tiggity Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Beat me to it, odds on disgruntled staffer based on location of "hacker"

      0 0 Reply

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