1. Home
  2. >
  3. Business đź’Ľ
Posted

Major Las Vegas Casinos Hit by Cyberattacks, Disrupting Operations and Exposing Vulnerabilities

  • Two major Las Vegas casinos, MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment, were hit by cyberattacks this week.

  • The attacks disrupted hotel reservations, casino floors, and loyalty programs.

  • Customers reported issues like darkened slot machines, non-working hotel keys, and fraudulent charges.

  • The attacks revealed vulnerabilities in casino cybersecurity, shattering the image of impenetrable systems.

  • Hackers likely used phishing or other social engineering tactics to breach the networks.

eastidahonews.com
Relevant topic timeline:
MGM Resorts International has experienced a cybersecurity issue, resulting in the shutdown of its main website and online reservations, prompting an investigation into the incident.
The cyber attack on MGM Resorts International, which began on Sunday, has caused significant disruptions and financial losses for the casino and hotel giant, with a Russia-linked hacker gang claiming responsibility for the breach.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board is monitoring a cyber attack on MGM Resorts, which has impacted the experience for casino visitors for three days.
MGM Resorts is facing a widespread outage lasting four days after a cyberattack by the hacking group Scattered Spider, with guests reporting disruptions to various services including ATMs, slot machines, digital key cards, and electronic payment systems, while entertainment giant Caesars Entertainment also suffered a cyberattack attributed to the same group, resulting in stolen data and a demanded ransom of $30 million.
Hotel and casino company Caesars Entertainment has confirmed that hackers stole a significant amount of customer data, including driver's license numbers and social security numbers, in a recent cyberattack. It is believed that the company has paid a ransom to try and ensure the stolen data is deleted. A separate data breach notice revealed that the cyberattack was caused by social engineering on an unnamed outside IT vendor. Caesars is the second hotel and casino company to be targeted in recent weeks, following MGM Resorts' reported "cybersecurity issue."
Hackers responsible for breaching MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment have also targeted three other companies in the manufacturing, retail, and technology sectors, according to a security executive familiar with the matter.
The cyberattack on MGM Resorts in Las Vegas resulted in the company losing approximately $100 million, highlighting the significant financial impact major companies face when targeted by hackers.
Cyberattack on MGM Resorts expected to cost at least $100 million, impacting the company's third-quarter earnings, but cyber insurance is expected to cover the financial impact; personal data of customers, including social security numbers and contact details, was stolen, but no evidence of compromised financial information or passwords; cybercrime group Scattered Spider claimed responsibility for the attack.
Multiple companies, including Johnson Controls, Clorox, and MGM Resorts, have recently experienced significant cybersecurity breaches, resulting in financial losses and operational disruptions, highlighting the ongoing issue of cyberattacks affecting various industries.
MGM Resorts International has disclosed that the cyberattack it experienced in September will cost $100 million and result in adjusted property losses for its Las Vegas Strip Resorts and regional operations. The company will also provide identity protection and credit monitoring services to individuals whose personal information was compromised in the breach.
MGM Resorts International did not pay the ransomware attackers who breached its systems, resulting in the shutdown of hotels and casinos, with customer data including personal information potentially compromised, although no passwords, bank account numbers, or card details were believed to have been stolen.