Casino giants Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International have fallen victim to cyberattacks, as reported by both companies recently. Caesars Entertainment revealed on September 7 that it experienced a data breach that potentially exposed the personal information of its loyalty rewards members. The company pointed out that it could not ensure the security of customer data and took steps to delete the stolen data.
The cybersecurity firm Emsisoft, which is assisting in the investigation, stated that it is still unclear whether a ransom was paid, or who was responsible for the attack. MGM Resorts also faced a cyberattack and responded by shutting down computer systems at its properties. The extent of the breach and the information accessed remains undisclosed.
The group Scattered Spider has claimed responsibility for the attack on Caesars Entertainment. This group has gained notoriety for using SMS text phishing and phone calls to trick individuals into revealing password resets or multifactor bypass codes. In response to the incident, Caesars Rewards members were offered credit monitoring and identity theft protection services.
Fortunately, neither company has reported evidence of the intruder obtaining member passwords or bank account and payment card information. While operations at Caesars’ casinos and online platforms remained unaffected, reservations and casino floors at MGM Resorts properties were impacted. Customers experienced issues with credit card transactions and cash machines.
As of now, some MGM Resorts computer systems are still offline, but the company has assured employees that they will receive timely payments. The FBI has launched an investigation into these cyberattacks, and according to Brett Callow of Emsisoft, recovery from such incidents can take months. Efforts are underway to restore normalcy and minimize the impact on both companies and their customers.
As cyberattacks continue to pose a significant threat to businesses across various industries, robust security measures and ongoing vigilance become crucial. Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts are conducting internal reviews to bolster their cybersecurity defenses and prevent future breaches.
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