Hacker group threatens another attack after claiming responsibility for MGM Resorts cyber chaos

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - A group of hackers known as “AlphaV” has claimed responsibility for the cyber chaos that has enveloped the juggernaut casino empire MGM Resorts.

Electronic shutdowns following a data breach throttled systems across MGM properties from Sunday into the following week for days, as guests had to endure long lines, manual check-ins into rooms, phone calls for customer support and hand pays for cash-outs at slot machines.

The group “AlphaV” released a statement that was posted on “X,” claiming responsibility and warning of another attack.

“Network has been infiltrated since [last] Friday,” it read. “MGM made the hasty decision to shut down each and every one of their OKTA sync servers after learning that we had been lurking...We successfully launched ransomware attacks against more than 100 ESXi hypervisors [operating systems],” it said.

Hackers demanded a response and had not gotten one. The writer could not confirm if they obtained personal information during the breach.

The group warned: “If a deal is not reached, we will carry out additional attacks.”

The group stated “we did not attempt to tamper with MGM’s slot machines to spit out money,” saying MGM would be less likely to make a deal.

Bloomberg reported that the same group was paid millions by Caesars in a similar attack in late August. In its SEC filing on Thursday, Caesars acknowledges “a social engineering attack.”

“We have incurred, and may continue to incur, certain expenses... our online and mobile gaming applications, have not been impacted. We have taken steps to ensure that the stolen data is deleted by the unauthorized actor, although we cannot guarantee this result.”

CEO Bill Hornbuckle posted a statement, Thursday, thanking customers for their patient and employees for their hard work. The company promised that workers would still be paid on Friday.

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