MGM Resorts Experiences Cyber Attack, Service Interruption Takes Place
MGM Resorts is facing a cyberattack, according to an official from the Las Vegas-based casino company.
Brian Ahern, MGM's executive director of communications, made the announcement via a Gmail account since employees' company emails are currently inaccessible due to the incident. In a statement, MGM revealed they had detected a security issue affecting some of its systems. Ahern also revealed that the company sought help from external cybersecurity experts, informed law enforcement, and took steps to protect their systems and data, including shutting down certain systems.
The specific nature of the attack is still unclear, with no information about whether there's a ransom demand or if the attackers are communicating with MGM officials. MGM is the largest employer in Nevada and operates the most casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.
On September 10, 2023 at 7:51 pm, Vital Vegas was the first to share news about the emerging issues at MGM Resorts.
What We Know
Not much is known about the attack as it was only recently detected. However, reports from social media suggest that MGM's operations are experiencing technical difficulties. A number of MGM Rewards customers have reported trouble with their mobile apps, with notices saying the program is undergoing maintenance and digital keys are unavailable.
Social media users also claim there are issues throughout MGM's Las Vegas properties. The incident appears to have taken offline credit card machines, ATMs, and ticket-in ticket-out machines.
The cyber event is affecting all MGM casinos in Las Vegas, with the company's website stating their online reservation systems are currently unavailable. It also seems to be impacting regional casinos. The websites for MGM National Harbor, Borgata in Atlantic City, MGM Grand Detroit, MGM Springfield in Massachusetts, Beau Rivage in Mississippi, Empire City Casino in NYC, and MGM Northfield Park in Ohio are all offline.
China Operations
MGM is one of the six commercial casino operators in Macau, the only place under China's control where casinos are permitted. Currently, it appears the US-based cybersecurity event hasn't affected MGM's operations in Macau. MGM, via its subsidiary MGM China Holdings, owns and operates MGM Macau and MGM Cotai.
Their last significant cybersecurity breach was in 2019 when 30 million guests' personal information was made public on an online instant messaging platform, Telegram. In early 2020, MGM confirmed they had been a victim of a data breach by a Russia-based hacking group. While names, phone numbers, and birthdates were stolen, the attack didn't involve seizing sensitive financial, credit and debit card, or password information.
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