Huge data breach strikes casino giants MGM and Caesars, cybersecurity investigation underway

The Scattered Spider, a hacking group, on Thursday (September 14) announced that it successfully infiltrated the systems of two major casino operators, MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment. The group said that it has extracted over six terabytes of data from the two companies

This cyberattack has prompted investigations from both companies as they seek to understand the extent of the breach.

Ransom demand

Talking to Reuters, a representative for the Scattered Spider stated that the group had no intentions of making the stolen data public and also denied commenting on whether they had demanded a ransom from either company.

The group's spokesperson emphasised, "If MGM wishes to release that information, they will. We do not do that."

Caesars and MGM are yet to respond to inquiries regarding the volume of data that had been compromised.

The FBI, in a statement, said it was investigatingboth the MGM and Caesars incidents.

Reuters reports that on September 7th, Caesars had reported to regulators that hackers accessed data belonging to a significant number of its loyalty program members.

The stolen information reportedly included "driver's licence numbers and/or social security numbers.".

Although reports from Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal suggested that Caesars paid a ransom, the company is yet to comment on the matter.

Cybersecurity issue

MGM, one of the world's largest casino and hotel operators, acknowledged that it was addressing a "cybersecurity issue."

Four days after the attack came to light, disruptions persisted in MGM's operations. Social media posts showed slot machines displaying error messages at its Las Vegas casinos.

Scattered Spider

Scattered Spider, also known as UNC3944, is renowned for its effective social engineering tactics.

The group often contacts an organisation's information security teams via phone, posing as employees in need of password resets.

Google's Mandiant Intelligence has linked Scattered Spider to over 100 intrusions within the past two years, targeting various industries, including gaming, technology, retail, telecoms, and insurance.