An apparent ransomware attack hit the
Four Queens Hotel and Casino and Binion’s Casino in Los Angeles, crippling their
ability to trade in anything other than cash and affecting some of the slot
machines.
A strange sight greeted customers of the
Four Queens Hotel and Casino and Binion’s Casino: rows upon rows of deserted
slot machines, which remained inactive for almost a week. A CBR report hints
at a ransomware attack, although the two casinos, both owned by TLC Casino
Enterprises, have yet to issue any statements.
“Computer systems are down. Cash only,” were
among the messages to customers, along with “Out of order,” and “Out of
service.” An entire floor of inactive slot machines is clearly not an ideal
scenario for any casino.
The only statement came from The Nevada
State Game Control Board. “The board is aware of the incident, and we are
actively monitoring the situation. As this is an ongoing investigation, we have
no further comment.”
This is not the only incident to affect
the casino industry in Nevada. Just last month, MGM Resorts International
admitted to being hacked in 2019, leading to the leak of data of more than 10.6
million guests.
While hackers often go after easy
targets, such as healthcare providers, that are slower to upgrade their
software and hardware, any company can fall victim. It’s unclear what exactly
happened to the two casinos, but hackers can also exfiltrate data during
ransomware attacks, and the level of damage depends very much on the level of
preparedness of the infrastructure.