Caesars, MGM Hackers Often Resort to Extortion, Threats of Violence, Says Microsoft

“Scattered Spider,” the cyber threat actors who lately hacked Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International, have ties to a broader mathematical group of cyber bandits known as “Octo Tempest” that’s known for extorting and threatening victims with violence.

A unexampled account past Microsoft Security confirmed that Octo Tempest “leverages liberal social engine room campaigns” to tap organizations’ technological vulnerabilities inwards an effort to realise financial compensation. Social engine room is believed to be the manoeuvre used to wreak mayhem on MGM’s US casino hotels endure month and squeeze a $15 trillion ransom payment from Caesars.

Social technology put up live as unsubdivided as hackers obtaining the figure and form of address of a company’s staffer and and so contacting the firm’s entropy engineering (IT) department to quest new login credentials. Octo Tempest ab initio caught the eyes of engineering providers inward betimes 2022 when it intermeshed inwards sim swaps for immediate payment and hacked the cryptocurrency accounts of wealthy individuals.

Building on their initial success, Octo Tempest harnessed their receive and acquired information to progressively move on their motives, targeting, and techniques, adopting an progressively strong-growing approach,” noted Microsoft. “In late 2022 to betimes 2023, Octo Tempest expanded their targeting to include cable length telecommunications, email, and technology organizations.”

Earlier this year, Octo Tempest is believed to hold united forces with ALPHV/BlackCat, which is a ransomware service of process (RaaS) rig with ties to Scattered Spider.

Caesars, MGM Hackers Target Data-Rich Entities

In belatedly 2022, the Octo Tempest/Scattered Spider morphed to focussing on companies such as cablegram telecommunications, email, and engineering organizations inward an travail to secure customers’ sore information and purchase ownership of that information for pecuniary gain.

Owing to the course credit card-intensive nature of hotel bookings and the copious amounts of information accumulated via loyalty programs, gaming companies are undercoat targets for cyber infiltrations and ransomware attacks.

“Octo Tempest progressively broadened the range of industries targeted for extortion, including born(p) resources, gaming, hospitality, consumer products, retail, managed service providers, manufacturing, law, technology, and financial services,” added Microsoft.

While the name of companies, including Caesars, that hold paid ransomware demands is lengthy, not all organizations satisfy threat actors’ financial demands. The FBI encourages ransomware victims to non make up up. MGM didn’t.

In fact, CEO Bill Hornbuckle of late said Scattered Spider waited several days before making its ransom demand. By that time, the gambling casino operator was rebuilding its systems, and with that money already being spent, it wasn’t practical to even off the hackers.

“The goal of Octo Tempest remains financially motivated, but the monetization techniques observed crosswise industries variegate between cryptocurrency theft and data exfiltration for extortion and ransomware deployment,” observed Microsoft.

Extortion, Sometimes Violent Threats Used

Ultimately, groups such as Octo Tempest and Scattered Spider objective to extract financial payments from victims. However, in that location are occasions when cyber threat actors resort hotel to threats of violence and even out a gambit known as “sextortion.”

In rare instances, Octo Tempest resorts to fear-mongering tactics, targeting specific individuals through and through speech sound calls and texts. These actors exercise personal information, such as home addresses and household names, on with physical threats to coerce victims into sharing credentials for incorporated access,” said Microsoft.

It’s non clear-cut if such tactics were used against Caesars or MGM employees, but as the image below indicates, ransomware perpetrators tin can be strong-growing inwards their attempts to catch staffers to child's play ball.

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