WADA says Russian Group behind hacking of its Rio Olympics database

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) says that a Russian cyber espionage group hacked its database at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

WADA confirmed it in a statement that a Russian cyber espionage group operator by the name of Tsar Team (APT28), also known as Fancy Bear, illegally gained access to WADA’s Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS) database.

The agency said that the group got access via an International Olympic Committee (IOC)-created account for the Rio 2016 Games.”

The statement said the group accessed data from athletes, including confidential medical data, and released some of it in the public domain threatening to release more.

It said access was likely obtained by gaining possession of passwords through phishing of email accounts.

“WADA has been informed by law enforcement authorities that these attacks are originating out of Russia,” WADA director general Olivier Niggli said.

“WADA condemns these ongoing cyber-attacks that are being carried out in an attempt to undermine WADA and the global anti-doping system.”