Cyber Attack at Hotels us Oldies know what’s up

Here

Five days after a cyberattack crippled operations of MGM Resorts International, including its signature Las Vegas properties the Bellagio and the MGM Grand, the company said Thursday morning it is still working to resolve issues as another major resort operation, Caesars Entertainment, acknowledged it was also the target of a cyberattack. Hackers struck MGM Resorts on Sunday morning, rendering doors to the chain's casinos and hotels unusable. Slot machines and ATM machines were also inoperable, elevators were out of order and customers had to wait hours to check into rooms. Even the company's website remains down.

First let me get on my little soap box. I NEVER for a second trusted those electronic “keys” and door swipe systems. We are talking about a key to a hotel room, but when we think about the broader picture, things like EV’s, and wanting us to get rid of gas stoves, an all things of a manual, physical nature, there is a BIG vulnerability to it. Maybe we are talking 1% of the time, until we aren’t. I think most people on this site know many of these things are celebrated as progressiveness, but we know that can equal control. They are talking out of both sides of their neck saying global warming, severe storms, blackout yada yada yada, then in the same breath, buy this EV, and all other things that would be directly affected by said blackouts, brownouts and such. We all know it’s not a car, a plastic straw or your gas stove doing the damage. Hmmm what could it be? Could it be the massive ships bringing cheap crap we don’t need? Could it be the planes and trains? Also isn’t it funny they are so worried about straws but fail to worry about the BIG ol’ PLASTIC cup!!!! And people are dumb enough to fall for it.

Ok back to the story, Cyber attack on these hotels and there really hasn’t been a lot of news about it.
I want you to think about the kind of cyber security a place like this would have. Ponder that for a minute…
I worked at a very large, very very very very rich company..as rich as they get. With tons of money to pour into security.
They paid ethical hackers, and it took less than 2 minutes for them to have Social Security numbers of employees.

There are ways to protect things, and funny or not a lot of those methods are old methods, and I’m talking about both in the tech world and the physical word.

I think we are going to see a lot more of incidents like these so enjoy the show!
PS.. don’t keep all your eggs in one baskets..

a reply to: JAGStorm

Yep, we really need a digital currency.

Nothing bad could happen.



Maybe Disney has hackers deep in those underground labyrinths hacking MGM to take the spotlight off their failing parks and crashing stock!

a reply to: JAGStorm

..imo....They probably fired an IT employee who still has the codes and wants to make a statement about "power" and "control"


The IT community has more power than you can imagine. Knowledge is Power...It's a very concentrated power and most n00bs have no clue.

And as long as we're being conspiratorial....Christian soldiers trying to stamp out sin via the interwebs.

Or some of the Mob bosses didn't get their VIG.

originally posted by: olaru12
a reply to: JAGStorm

They probably fired an IT employee who still has the codes and wants to make a statement about "power" and "control"


The IT community has more power than you can imagine. Knowledge is Power...

And as long as we're being conspiratorial....Christian soldiers trying to stamp out sin via the interwebs.

Or some of the Mob bosses didn't get their VIG.

The top tech people (the smart ones anyway) never ever get fired. You know why? They have DIRT on everyone!
They can also do “things” to screw you over, so don’t make them mad.

For the youngin’s if you work in a corporate environment I’m going to tell you what to do.
Schmooze the IT peeps, don’t overlook anyone, not even the hardware folks. Schmooze schmooze schmooze.
There is a reason I had three screens, and my own personal printer and nobody else was “allowed” to have one, not even the director in our group 😂 The best part, my evil coworker tried for 4 years to get more screens and never could.

Here’s the trick. If they do something to help you, nominate them for an award. It most likely won’t get approved, but that won’t matter. They WILL remember and have secret ways to make your life easier!
Never ever make anyone in IT your enemy, you won’t win. We saw it all. We knew who was having office romances.
We read all the idiotic messages you sent to your office crush. We knew that you were streaming. We knew who had zero life…

I have ALWAYS been distrustful of the whole electronic/digital world we live in. MILLIONS of people have had their information stolen from hackers. Even the US Government was a victim. We are NOT safe. The risk is even greater now than ever because there isn't anything that can't be hacked! That's why it amazes me that people want those "oh so cool" houses where everything is computer electronic hooked up, the lights, music, oven, dishwasher, door locks etc. One power outage and.....there you are. Just like those hotels. A wet noodle in a sword fight.

And yes, smooze the IT folks. IF they're friends with you, they tell you 'things' and share bits of info that no one else knows. I know for fact.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Replacing physical security that was only as secure as security
was ever going to get. With Cybersecurity that has a whole new
and vastly unknown vulnerability?

The opportunity for misuse alone presents itself on a large scale.
And with far to many potentials for corruption. When all that stands
between the vulnerable and corruption is a decision to do so? When
that decision could come on whim at any moment from who knows
where? Or so it seems? And who benefits? None of this has made my
life more convenient. And often becomes one big pain in the ass.

a reply to: Saloon

None of this has made my life more convenient. And often becomes one big pain in the ass.

My washer and dryer, for example!
It has a setting that you can use your phone to turn it on or off. I think it is so dumb. You still have to put the dang clothes in there so what do you need your phone for?
I guess there are some people that like to load it, go to work and then have it running when they aren’t at home or something bizarre like that? I have no clue.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Selling points! Many customers are wooed by just what you
mentioned. Stupid useless crap that makes any item more
attractive to the buyer. Just think how many people fail to
see it's uselessness as you have? Even after they can see for
themselves it was just a gimick really.

Believe you me there are millions and most of them are rare
on sites like ATS.


Another great thread here!

That's interesting timing. I use a company called Square to process my credit card sales. Square had major issues last week too, a complete disruption in service all over the U.S. I had also heard that Paypal and a few other companies like that had some issues as well.

Sounds related. Are they testing the waters or was it a coordinated attack? Just disgruntled anti-capitalists?


a reply to: JAGStorm

a reply to: JAGStorm

Well in your article it says the Ceasers breech came from looking up and employee on linkedin and calling them Ceasers help desk. 10min later they had social engineered their way in. Wouldn't surprise me if this is how they got the others too. Typically the networks themselves are solid. The humans responsible though ...very prone to human mistakes.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Never ever make anyone in IT your enemy, you won’t win. We saw it all. We knew who was having office romances.
We read all the idiotic messages you sent to your office crush. We knew that you were streaming. We knew who had zero life…

Yes, I work with a kid, very savy, incharge of studio www security that told me he could make ATS very upclose and personal if need be. He's a member as well. As an ethetical type person, I would never ask him to do that, but Iv'e thought about it after I get called a commie so often. It really gets old....

Casinos don't usually talk about their problems. Less the customer knows the better. The wife did a few years in a casino bank things happened to make money disappear but you don't talk about it. Specialist are called in from all over the world but you don't talk about it. One time every drawer was down exactly $400 at the end of the shifts, people were scared. Nothing further was said.

a reply to: JAGStorm

There's only like 3 companies in the US that make those key card systems.

They are not difficult to short out.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
My washer and dryer, for example!
It has a setting that you can use your phone to turn it on or off. I think it is so dumb. You still have to put the dang clothes in there so what do you need your phone for?

Great thread! You post a lot of things that sort of fly under the radar and I'm grateful for that.

But as to your comment. I saw a commercial on TV once that was promoting a home security system. They touted that you could even turn it on when you were far away by using your cell-phone. To demostrate this, they used a couple that were going on vacation. After they were somewhere down the road, travelling on their vacation, they stopped and used their cell-phone to activate the alarm on their home. I'm thinking what good is that feature? The burglars already stole all your stuff before you turned on the alarm!!!! Remember? During that period when your home and precious stuff was still unprotected because you hadn't secured it.

What type of moron would not lock their doors or turn on their security system just as they were leaving the house?

a reply to: TrulyColorBlind

What type of moron would not lock their doors or turn on their security system just as they were leaving the house?

One that can afford house staff, expect someone at their house until they knock of work that day. Or maybe wait for the kids to go to school if you have to leave early that morning. Heard of some systems where you can also watch and talk to the intruder from your phone.

As for having such a wireless system, can have its risks if someone else can crack your server, then they can spy on you.

Does anyone have any knowledge of where George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle, and Julia Roberts were when this happened?

Asking the tough questions.

Spam removed

There was no magic here folks, just good ol fashioned social engineering. Someone in the hacker group called the help desk and after 10 minute convo, was able to get the keys to the kingdom.

So yea, their help desk is in the hurt locker.

Me? Still can't top the drop usb stick in the parking lot. Someone ALWAYS plugs it in at work to see whats on it. But calling the help desk, that's right up there.

a reply to: JAGStorm


If you want to believe your oldie approach is some how better then something technology driven then more power to you.

Since HPVC became a thing the easiest, quickest and simplest way into any PBX Or Network has always been and will always be social engineering. Meaning nothing was hacked but someone effectively fell for a live phishing attempt.

Decades ago when my group of friends all thought we were Mr. Robot people were always the first attack vector. I used the base or modded "xfer me to 9 please" approach hundreds of times without any phreaking taking place.

Just like your article, where nothing was hacked other than someons common sense.

Not specifically hackable, but I went through multiple airports this week and more bathroom faucets were failing to put out water than those that had working sensors. Was this really such a problem that people couldn't push a lever or turn a handle?

Are we really making progress? Are people happier, healthier and more fulfilled?