Explore major high-profile hacks targeting hotels and resorts, exposing vulnerabilities in the hospitality industry. Learn how these breaches happened and ways to stay protected.
High-Profile Hacks Targeting Hotels & Resorts: Major Casino Cyberattacks
Like all major corporations today, casinos face constant cyberthreats from hackers seeking access to sensitive systems and customer data.
Some of the most famous resort brands have fallen victim to major breaches in recent years.
Which casinos have faced cyberattacks and what was compromised? Let’s examine notable hotel & casino mega-hacks.
Caesars Entertainment (2020)
In 2020, the iconic Caesars Entertainment, which operates over 50 casino resorts worldwide, disclosed a data breach impacting customers who used its mobile app and website.
Hackers stole personal information including names, addresses, phone numbers and birthdates of patrons who registered online accounts with Caesars.
No financial data was impacted, but it represented a large-scale compromise of customer information. Caesars notified victims and provided monitoring services to affected users following discovery of the breach.
MGM Resorts International (2019-2020)
In back-to-back incidents, casino giant MGM Resorts International suffered two significant hacks. In 2019, attackers accessed a cloud server containing details on over 10 million former hotel guests. Exposed data included names, addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth provided at check-in. Months later in 2020, MGM was hit again, with hackers breaching an employee database and stealing personal information of current and past staff members. MGM engaged cybersecurity firms to investigate the breaches and bolster network protections. But the incidents highlighted vulnerabilities at major resort chains.
Sands, Wynn, Stations Casinos (2014)
In 2014, cybercriminals infiltrated customer databases for Las Vegas giants Sands, Wynn, and Stations Casinos in a coordinated digital heist. Using phishing emails, hackers got employees at the three casino firms to open documents granting access to internal servers.
Attackers made off with confidential client files containing social security numbers, addresses, bank accounts, and other sensitive personal data.
The triple breach underscored the need for improved cybersecurity awareness among the hospitality industry against social engineering tactics.
Trump Hotels (2014-2015)
Former President Trump’s luxury hotel chain also dealt with major hacks at locations in Las Vegas, New York, Chicago, and Toronto between 2014-2015.
Attackers compromised credit card systems used by hotel restaurants and stores, stealing payment card numbers and expiration dates from thousands of customers.
Trump Hotels scrambled to identify and notify all affected patrons whose card data may have been stolen while attempting to make purchases onsite. The incidents dealt a blow to customer confidence.
Sally Beauty Supply (2014)
Though not a casino itself, notable hacks have also hit major retailers within casino complexes.
Cosmetics retail chain Sally Beauty Supply, which operates many outlets inside casino hotels, fell victim in 2014 to one of the largest credit card breaches ever.
Hackers infiltrated Sally’s point-of-sale systems nationwide, exposing credit and debit card data of up to 25 million customers over several months before being detected. The hack demonstrated that retail merchants inside casinos also face cyberthreats.
Target (2013)
Retail giant Target, with locations often situated within hotel-casinos, is among America’s most high-profile cyberattack victims.
In 2013, hackers stole credit card and personal information for up to 70 million Target customers in a sophisticated and unprecedented breach during the peak holiday shopping season.
The hack shook consumer confidence in retail transaction security and cost Target over $200 million in damages. The episode reminded casinos that partner merchants in their properties also carry cyber risks.
Conclusion
In summary, major casinos and retailers within their walls have faced cyberattacks ranging from loyalty account data theft to payment system infiltration.
As hospitality venues rely increasingly on connected systems for customer service and convenience, they also expose more avenues for hackers.
Continued investment in cutting-edge cybersecurity and staff training is crucial for casino-hotels to keep customer information safe and maintain trust after these public breaches.
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Hao Cheng Cheng is a renowned authority in the online gambling industry, with over a decade of hands-on experience. Holding a Master's in Cryptographic Engineering from Singapore Institute of Technology, he spent years working at Marina Bay Sands, igniting his passion for the intricacies of casino operations and regulations.
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