Minors form hacker group, takes responsibility for MGM Resorts cyberattack.
A Hacker Group Claims Responsibility for MGM Entertainment Hack
A hacker group, believed to be primarily composed of minors, has come forward to claim responsibility for the recent cyberattack on MGM Entertainment. The attack, which caused a widespread outage across the hotel network, has left MGM Resorts struggling to restore its systems.
Despite MGM’s assertion that it can continue operating as usual, users have reported that the hotel chain’s systems are not functioning properly. Scattered Spider, a well-known hacker group known for its use of social manipulation and cyber loopholes, has now stepped forward to take credit for the attack.
“We are continuing to work diligently to resolve our cybersecurity issue while addressing individual guest needs promptly,” MGM said in a statement on Thursday.
A representative from Scattered Spider confirmed their involvement in the MGM attack, following suspicions raised by the malware repository collective vx-underground. However, as the group has not released any files from MGM, it is difficult to fully verify their claim.
Scattered Spider, a Western-based hacker group, primarily recruits minors who face less severe penalties under the law if caught. According to cybersecurity company Unit 221B, the group targeted over 130 organizations in 2022 and stole the credentials of nearly 10,000 employees.
The cyberattack has had a significant impact on MGM, with the company’s shares dropping by 6% since Monday. In a report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, MGM stated that the attack posed a material risk to the company. Moody’s, a major credit rating agency, also warned of the “key risks” highlighted by the attack.
It is worth noting that Scattered Spider is suspected of being involved in a recent cyberattack on Caesars Entertainment as well. Caesars paid half of a $30 million ransom to prevent the release of stolen data, but it remains unclear if the rest of the ransom has been paid off or is still being negotiated.
The hacker group claims that it gained access to MGM Hotel’s account through social engineering. By finding a random employee’s profile on LinkedIn and contacting the help desk, they were able to obtain access to the employee’s account.
MGM customers have reported various issues, including the inability to charge expenses to their room, use their keys, or access ATMs. Additionally, some have noted that the hotel’s gambling hardware is currently inactive.
The cyberattack has impacted MGM locations across the United States, including several hotels in Las Vegas and the MGM National Harbor location.
The FBI, Las Vegas Police Department, and MGM have not responded to requests for comment from the Washington Examiner.
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