Teresa Hoy 
It seems like the casino world of Las Vegas isn’t shining that bright any more thanks to all the cyberattack threats that they’ve been dealing with lately. Not too long ago, the entire casino world in Las Vegas was brought to its knees.
MGM confirmed that the ‘hacker’ stole customers’ personal information and a data breach that will cost the company around $100 million, not to mention the damage to the brand. But this wasn’t the first time that MGM was a victim of a cyberattack.
In fact, in 2019, MGM suffered another data breach that exposed the personal information of 10.6 million people.
So, obviously, we are dealing with a delicate situation, and being in a digital world, sometimes it is hard to secure all digital entries in order to stop hackers.
Yes, these breaches happen, and that’s the reality of it. The goal here is to learn from the process and take additional measures to make the overall system more secure and hacker-proof.
So, how are Borgata and MGM Casino dealing with such cyberattack threats?
Attack Vectors
There are many different ways a hacker could enter the casino database and cause millions in damage. After all, the high-tech security measures didn’t come in handy since the hacker used a good-old phishing attack on an MGM Employee to enter their base. The cyberattacks on MGM encompassed various attack vectors, including:
- Ransomware Intrusions: Attempts to infiltrate MGM’s systems and encrypt critical data for ransom.
- Phishing Campaigns: Sophisticated phishing emails designed to trick employees into divulging sensitive information.
- Malware Infections: Deployment of malicious software to compromise MGM’s network and devices.
According to cybersecurity researchers, the assaults against MGM used advanced methods and procedures, indicating the presence of skilled threat actors.
MGM’s Response
Despite the complexity and severity of the cyber threats, MGM Resorts International responded swiftly and decisively to protect its systems and data assets. The integrity of the casino relies on its actions and what it will do about such cyber threats in the future.
Obviously, people wouldn’t want to enter their personal information into a company that experiences a data breach every few months. Therefore, MGM started to deploy safety measures to prevent such things from happening in the future.
MGM implemented a comprehensive incident response plan comprising:
- They are implementing immediate threat mitigation, which is a system that detects possible anomalies (hacks) in the system and presents them before they even happen.
- Implementing data recovery protocols is not much of a safety measure since they are deployed after a hack happens.
- Employee Training: Since the last cyber-threat that targeted MGM was based on a phishing attack on a regular employee at a casino, they immediately started training their staff about the possible dangers of shady emails and phone calls.
Insightful Data
Even though the process was sorted out quickly, MGM still experienced significant downtime, which has severely impacted the company’s reputation.
With that said, it is great to see that the company adapts to these threats, and their only option is to improve their system and prevent such attacks from happening in the future. They are investing millions in cyber security every year, and it seems like there is hope that our data will be safe, at least until the quantum computer doesn’t come into this world.
Borgata’s Battle
Borgata, is a renowned casino and resort, with years of experience in the casino business. It is a renowned casino company that always pushed the boundaries of technology.
According to this Borgata online casino review, this is a company that knows that protecting customer data is a crucial step in their business.
But no company is safe from cyber-attacks. Hackers even gain access to government official websites or documents, and for some of them, casinos are child’s play.
But it all comes down to the willingness of the casino to take the necessary measures to prevent such attacks or to do as much as possible to detect and block them in time.
Response Strategies
- Enhanced Monitoring: Constantly monitoring network activity to detect anomalies.
- Employee Training: Educating staff about cybersecurity best practices to prevent breaches.
- Data Encryption: Encrypting sensitive data to thwart unauthorized access.
MGM’s Maneuvers
It’s been a tough couple of years for MGM Casino with so many cyber threats and data breaches. However, the good thing is that the company bounced back, examined the attacks carefully and how they happened, and took the necessary measures to improve their system or method for preventing cyber-attacks.
Key Initiatives
- Incident Response Plan: Implementing a robust plan to swiftly respond to cyber incidents.
- Collaboration with Experts: Partnering with cybersecurity firms to strengthen defenses.
- Regular Audits and Updates: Conducting audits and updating security protocols regularly.
Quick Fact
MGM’s cybersecurity team thwarted over 1,000 phishing attempts in the past year, showcasing their vigilance against cyber threats.
Final Words
Since we live in a digital world where even tech companies like Facebook and TikTok are fighting battles to prevent data leaks, it will take time until we find a way to battle these cyber-attacks or prevent them from happening.
The good thing is that the casino industry is investing a lot of money in cyber-security, which introduces us to new technologies and methods that will benefit the entire world.
