Terrorist hackers could target London Olympics, Blunkett warns

Cyber-criminals could target the London 2012 Olympics, former Home Secretary David Blunkett warns.

Gangs of terrorist hackers, some working from outside Britain, could trigger a "complete meltdown" of computer systems and open up unauthorised access to data.

With tourist and visitor numbers expected to swell when London stages the 2012 Games, hackers could be tempted to target ticketing, transportation, hotel and other bookings, which "would severely disrupt, or even wipe out accommodation reservations", he will tell a security conference in central London tomorrow.

Mr Blunkett said: "A sophisticated attack of this sort would be both economically and commercially devastating but the ability to block it exists and by doing so to demonstrate that Britain is the best and safest place of e-commerce in the world."