09. What happens in Vegas, doesn't always stay in Vegas

One of the largest casino chains in Las Vegas, MGM Grand, became paralysed after they were hit by a ransomware attack in September 2023. The bustling casino floor was unrecognisable as casino slot machines, hotels, restaurants and more were disconnected for allegedly 10 days in one of the biggest cyber attacks of our time. Who was responsible? How did they do it? Did cyber criminals really tell a $33.9 trillion dollar company to “grow a pair” and pay them? Tune in to this episode to find out. 

GTC’s new segment, Cyber Scandal, looks to unpack cyber hacks and untangle any tech jargon surrounding them so you can lean in and understand these stranger than fictions stories with little to no prior cyber security knowledge. We hope you enjoy this new segment as much as we do!

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Resources:

ThriveDX: https://thrivedx.com/resources/article/investigating-the-mgm-cyberattack-how-social-engineering-and-a-help-desk-put-the-whole-strip-at-risk

SpecOps: https://specopssoft.com/blog/mgm-resorts-service-desk-hack/

8news: https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/mgm-hack-by-ransomware-group-social-media-post-says/

Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/21/23883920/mgm-resorts-hack-recovery-hotels

Cyber Security Hub: https://www.cshub.com/attacks/news/a-full-timeline-of-the-mgm-resorts-cyber-attack

Vox: https://www.vox.com/technology/2023/9/15/23875113/mgm-hack-casino-vishing-cybersecurity-ransomware

Cyber Security News https://cybernews.com/security/mgm-caesars-ransomware-attack-timeline/

Report a cyber incident: https://www.cyber.gov.au/report-and-recover/report