MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment Security Incident

News and Insights Blog Subscribe Subscribe via Email December 06, 2023 Understanding the MGM and Caesars Cyberattacks: Lessons Learned Cyber 4 min read Allen Blount, National Cyber & Technology Product Leader, and Michael Tang, Associate Claims Director Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Email Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Email Many of todays increasingly devastating high-profile cyberattacks can actually be attributed to human error. The recent attacks on Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts stand as stark examples of this. Caesars reportedly paid a $15 million ransom to the attackers whereas MGM refused to pay, causing substantial interruptions to its operations. Between the attacks and lawsuits, the hospitality giants expect to lose hundreds of millions. Yet the alleged MGM hackers professed it only took a 10-minute phone call with IT to gain credentials that granted them access for the attack. Understanding how attacks like this happen can be key to keeping your business safe. Impacts of a Cyberattack Caesars and MGM have divulged little about the attacks. However, Forbes reports that Caesars was hit in late August by a group called Scattered Spider. In early September, a group called ALPHV, or Black Cat, infiltrated MGMs systems. Scattered Spider gained entry to Caesars system by deceiving a third-party IT support vendor. The group impersonated a Caesars employee and convinced the IT vendor to provide login credentials to Caesars access management provider, Okta. Similarly, ALPHV hacked MGM by using information from employee LinkedIn profiles to gain Okta and Azure access from MGMs IT department. The hackers promptly made ransom demands once they had control of the organizations systems and access to sensitive guest and employee information. Caesars reportedly paid the ransom, asserting that the event did not impact its operations. MGM, however, refused to pay, which forced the organization to shut down internal networks. This led to widespread havoc and...

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