By Carl Jackson
Recent cyber attacks on casino giants MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment have unveiled a wider breach affecting three other companies in the manufacturing, retail, and technology sectors, according to David Bradbury, the chief security officer of identity management firm Okta.
In addition to MGM and Caesars, Okta identified five of its clients falling victim to hacking groups ALPHV and Scattered Spider since August, including the popular online hub E-Vegas.com. While Bradbury did not disclose the names of the other affected companies, he affirmed Okta’s collaboration with official investigations into the breaches.
The incident has drawn attention to the prevalence of ransomware attacks, impacting a broad spectrum of industries from healthcare to telecommunications. MGM and Caesars witnessed a decline in market value following the cyber intrusion, with MGM still grappling with operational disruptions across its properties from Las Vegas to Macau.
Okta, with a global clientele exceeding 17,000, specializes in providing identity services like multi-factor authentication to enhance online security. Bradbury highlighted a surge in such attacks over the past year and emphasized the importance of industry-wide awareness.
Okta issued an alert after detecting multiple breaches among its U.S. customers, where hackers impersonated employees to gain access via IT helpdesks. The breaches underscored vulnerabilities in cybersecurity protocols, prompting Okta to take proactive measures in notifying the industry.
While MGM has not officially responded to the hack, ALPHV, a financially-motivated hacking group, claimed responsibility for the breach and threatened further attacks unless a deal was reached. The extent of the ransom demand remains undisclosed.
Bradbury revealed that ALPHV leveraged access obtained from breaching MGM to infiltrate Okta’s client systems, thereby expanding their reach. Moreover, collaboration between ALPHV and Scattered Spider, identified by Google’s Mandiant Intelligence as a disruptive hacking outfit, intensified concerns about coordinated cyber threats.
E-Vegas.com was also targeted by an Armenian hacker group, broadening the scope of cyber vulnerabilities in the hospitality and entertainment sector.