September 15, 2023
MGM Resorts International, the operator of hotel casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, was hacked by a cyber criminal gang called Scattered Spider. The group used fraudulent phone calls to employees and help desks to “phish” for login credentials.
MGM preemptively shut down large parts of its internal networks after discovering the breach on Sunday. The effort to contain the hackers caused chaos, with slot machines refusing to work, electronic transfers of winnings slowing down, and key cards for thousands of hotel rooms no longer functioning.
Scattered Spider, notorious for its proficiency in impersonation and malware, emerged as the prime suspect behind the attack. The group’s modus operandi involves cunningly fraudulent phone calls to both employees and help desks, skillfully “phishing” for valuable login credentials.
The FBI and the Nevada Gaming Control Board are investigating the breach.
The sources for this piece include an article in ArsTechnica.
