Australian RISE Racing hit by Sarcoma ransomware gang
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RISE Racing, the data and systems provider for the Australian harness racing industry, has been targeted by the Sarcoma ransomware gang. The cyberattack compromised sensitive participant and financial data spanning five years.
The attack temporarily disrupted access to the Harvey system, the platform that underpins harness racing operations across Australian jurisdictions. RISE Racing implemented response measures. Full operational access was reinstated shortly after the attack through controlled recovery procedures.
The attack was detected on May 12, 2025 and resulted in the theft of 1.6 gigabytes of data, which was subsequently published on the ransomware group's darknet leak site on June 5, 2025. The breach compromised data files from 2017 to 2022 including:
- Banking details and financial information
- Participant personal information
- Racing industry operational data
The number of affected individuals has not been disclosed.
RISE Racing has initiated an investigation in conjunction with cybersecurity specialists and has notified relevant authorities, including the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC). An independent forensic review is currently underway to determine the full nature and extent of the incident.
