Casino Cyber Attack
The bad news is, given the scale and pace of cyber-attacks, it seems only a matter of time before all consumer-facing businesses including casinos will “get their turn,” and that personal information. The business was a casino. The casino had a fish tank in their lobby that was connected to their corporate network - not just any fish tank but a high-tech one that featured Internet connectivity. It was the internet connectivity through the thermometer that enabled hackers to successfully breach the casino’s network. SBTech is reporting that it was the victim of a cyber attack. The gaming tech company powers many of the top online casino websites and apps in America. This includes Golden Nugget, Resorts, BetAmerica and even the Oregon Lottery.
It's been a year since American billionaire Sheldon Adelson's casino company was hacked. Now the blame is officially being placed on Iran.
For the first time, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said the Iranian government was behind a damaging cyberattack on the Sands Las Vegas Corporation(LVS) in 2014. He mentioned it while testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee this week.
Sands owns several well-known properties, including The Venetian and Palazzo in Las Vegas and two other resorts in Macao and Singapore.
The attack made headlines, because Las Vegas Sands is a large publicly-traded company. In February 2014, it said unidentified hackers broke into its computer network and stole customer data: credit card data, Social Security numbers and driver's licenses numbers.
At the time, it sounded like just another digital break-in. But the nation's leading intelligence official says it was much worse than that.
Cybersecurity stocks soar thanks to hack attacks It's been a year since American billionaire Sheldon Adelson's casino company was hacked. Now the blame is officially being placed on Iran. The business was a casino. The casino had a fish tank in their lobby that was connected to their corporate network - not just any fish tank but a high-tech one that featured Internet connectivity. It was the internet connectivity through the thermometer that enabled hackers to successfully breach the casino.
On Thursday, Clapper described it as a 'destructive cyberattack' on par with North Korea's hack of Sony. In that case, hackers wiped computers, destroyed data and froze the company to a halt.
It's unknown what damage Iranian hackers did to the casino company. Las Vegas Sands declined to comment for this story.
However, the company thinks hackers broke into its casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and 'certain company data may have been destroyed,' according to documents it filed Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Of all targets, why Adelson's company? The businessman is a major donor to Republican politicians. He's staunchly pro-Israel, the ultimate foe of the current Iranian regime. And in the past, Adelson has casually suggested that the U.S. drop nuclear bombs on Iran.
If Clapper's assertion is true, this is the latest example of a frightening trend: governments are hacking private companies.
Chinese hacker spies have stolen business plans from U.S. power plants. Russian hackers have broken into American and European oil and gas companies. And most recently, leaked documents show American and British spies hacked a phone SIM card maker in the Netherlands.
Computer security experts widely agree that companies aren't prepared to handle this threat. It comes down to resources. A government is a predator with billions of dollars at its disposal to amass a formidable cyber army. Its prey is a lean, for-profit company with a small security team.
Clapper told senators that hackers in Iran and North Korea pose less of a threat than China and Russia. But they're still a serious foe.
'These destructive attacks demonstrate that Iran and North Korea are motivated and unpredictable cyber actors,' Clapper told senators on Thursday.
In March 2020 two Las Vegas casinos suspended slots operations because of malware
On September 20, Sacramento, Northern California’s Cache Creek Casino Resort announced it would shut down temporarily and began a probe into what it called “a systems infrastructure failure”. Las week, the company confirmed that malicious third parties had launched a cyber-attack on Cache Creek’s servers, and the casino responded by opening an investigation.
Speaking to local Sacramento media, Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation tribal, owners of the property, confirmed that there had been a cyberattack. In a statement to the media, Yocha representatives reassured that the privacy of guests and employees was the highest priority, adding: “We are working closely with independent experts who regularly investigate incidents of this type to determine any risks to data security. Attacks like these are significant and can take weeks to research thoroughly.”
As the investigation continues, Cache Creek Casino already has an action plan. In the event that the attack has breached guests and employees’ personal data, affected parties would receive a notification in writing. The casino took the opportunity to address its employees and alleviate their concerns. A Cache Creek Casino rep. responded by saying that all employees would receive their full pay and benefits. That is regardless of whether they have been called to work or have to wait out for the investigation to wrap up.
Cache Creek Casino
Ransomware Attack Suspected
According to the media Sacramento Bee, an anonymous source shared that the FBI is on the case. The Feds are reportedly investigating a ransomware attack. That type of attack holds an informational database “hostage”. Hackers promise to return access to hijacked information once payment is made.
Cache Creek Casino has refused to comment on the authenticity of this statement. A spokesperson has confirmed, though, that the casino would need to remain closed until changes had been made. Specifically, Cache Creek Casino will fortify its infrastructure before reopening for business. There is no reopening date announced for the Cache Creek casino.
Sands Casino Cyber Attack
This is not the first property to have dealt with cyberattacks in the gaming industry. In February and March 2020, two Las Vegas properties had to suspend operations on their slot gaming floor because of malware. The attack happened during opening hours, prompting an uproar at the Four Queens Hotel and Casino and Binion’s Casino in Las Vegas. The casinos were out of service for almost a week.
Ransomware is becoming an increasingly serious problem in the casino space. Hackers are able to encrypt entire systems and hold them hostage until payment. However, there is no guarantee that once a payment completes the hackers would restore access.
Casino Cyber Attack
According to cyber security experts, it is best not to cave in to hackers’demands, but rather inform authorities promptly. Cache Creek Casino added: “We will be stronger from this, and we will remain vigilant in protecting our operation from these network predators. We are undaunted in our commitment to the security of our organization and the future of our business.”