ON GUARD: Tribes brace for ransomware threats across all operations

Attacks from the thieving program have damaged tribal governments and businesses, shutting down business and destroying important records.

As a result, tribes have had to implement new cybersecurity measures to counter the threat from thieving schemes in which hackers seize data, store it in encrypted form, and charge a fee for the exemption.

Walter Lamar, founder of security and confidentiality consulting firm Lamar Associates, says he hears about such attacks almost every week.

"We get calls almost every week saying this casino was attacked, that casino was attacked," Lamar said in an interview with Tribal Business News. "Across the country, there's another extortion software attack every 11 seconds. The risk grows every day."

The most recent example was in Oklahoma, where six Lucky Star casinos run by the Sheyenne and Arapaho tribes were forced to close after a ransomware attack disabled their computer systems.

Tribal governor Reggie Vassin said in a June 22 statement that the Sheyenne and Arapaho tribes would not give in to the hackers' demands.

"Let me be clear: this was a terrorist attack and we have not negotiated or made any concessions," Vassin wrote. "These criminals have not and will not receive a penny from the Shine and Arapaho Tribe.

Wessant also wrote that casino employees will continue to receive their pay and all benefits throughout the time the casino is closed.

The closure of the Shine and Arapaho Tribe's facilities was the latest in a string of tribal businesses to be raided by extortionists. As reported by Tribal Business News, the NEZ Perce Tribe of Adaho closed its casino following a successful cyberattack in October 2020. That same month, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation Tribe's Cache Creek Casino in Brooks, California, also fell victim to a network attack.

And the Seminoles Tribe, a tribe in Oklahoma, was forced to temporarily close its casino in May 2021 due to a cyberattack.

According to the FBI's Internet Complaint Center, there were more than 2, 000 ransomware attacks in 2020, resulting in more than $29. 1 million in losses for gambling companies, technology, hospitals, local government agencies, and more.

Attack targets aimed at the tribes range from paid companies to casinos, as well as local government systems. In the Kuapo tribe in Oklahoma, the tribal government was damaged eight years ago and the tribal data archive was destroyed.

"The recovery was not easy. Fortunately, there was a physiological backup copy of all data," said Guy Barker, the Kupo tribe. "We now have a more seamless system."

Reputational effects

Harry Jackson III, a partner of Fox Rothschild LLP, a law firm in Atlantic City, New Jersey, not only does the increase in attacks, but also the online exchange that makes potential attackers more vulnerable. It is said that it is a thing. As an example of these vulnerabilities, Jackson has increased online gambling.

"Casinos often deal with consumer data, personal information, and economic information.

Security consultant Lama says that the appearance of COVID-19, where almost all workers were forced to work at home, did not help.

"This will create a more vulnerable point. Instead of those who work in a managed environment, a large number of people will work separately, the security level will be greatly increased, and the giant for attacks. Lamar says, "is born.

Ransomware threats often require $ 1, 000 to $ 1 million in cash and cryptocurrency that the criminal urgently demands. Even if the ransom is paid and the data is returned, a powerful encryption has the ability to break the information and make it unusable.

"Double extortion means that if you have information and pay a ransom, that information will be sold or published."

Enrichment companies must also consider their reputation. According to Jackson's book, tribal resorts in areas with high population density are considered to be the only gambling facility in the area, while most of the regions use casinos. If the security gets worse, it is highly likely that you will lose a considerable part of your own customer base and profits.

"If your data is not protected by the tribe, customers will go elsewhere," says Jackson. "It's very painful to lose your customers."

Preparations needed

Jackson recommends tribes prepare in advance to anticipate cyberattacks and respond effectively if a hack is successful.

"There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Each tribe has its own background, its own experience, its own access to tribal information technology and data security," Jackson says. "Each tribe is unique in its individual needs, but there are things that tribes, as well as the entire gaming industry, need to protect themselves."

Jackson pointed to advanced methods such as developing comprehensive response plans for hacking attempts and successes, creating and maintaining insurance against losses from cyberattacks, and training employees to be vigilant in the event of a hacking attempt. Adopting preventative measures such as hiring security experts to audit existing systems and developing protective tools against common hacks, such as malicious keyboard intercept programs and phishing attempts, will in most cases reduce costs and keep your business afloat. In the long run, it will save you reputation.

"The amount of money you spend on preparing for an attack will be minuscule compared to the financial damage inflicted by both physical money and Bitcoin, and the impact on your reputation and consumer trust," Jackson says.

In particular, Jackson pointed out the importance of training employees to recognize various phishing attacks.

"The first line of defense is employee training, making sure people with access to sensitive information receive regular training that helps them identify these phishing scams," Jackson said. "The first breach happens when someone opens a link that they shouldn't open".

Barker said the tribe's secretary is actively training its 2, 600 employees in this regard on how to spot phishing scams, but these attacks are constantly being improved, as these emails can be forged from internal addresses. The rapidly evolving nature of the attacks creates many problems when trying to protect the tribe's four casinos and the tribe's "scattered" businesses.

"It looks like you're pursuing your tail. It seems to be growing and evolving in the same way as the fashion industry. There is always something new," says Barker. Follow other issues facing other companies and tribal governments, and make as much effort as possible to avoid them. This is almost everyday fight

According to Barker, the Quples Nation Cyber ​​Security category consists of some of the tribal internal staff and external contractors, which are "necessary steps." In addition, by attracting external contractors, it is possible to evaluate how resistant the cyber security system is for external attacks.

"This is a combination of two elements, and I think it's everywhere. We are not as big as Israeli government and have its own system. The existence of an external information source is security measures. I think it is effective to check the resistance, "The developer community of the hacker community and the robbery program is an excellent technical expert. I need it. "

Avoiding ‘false confidence’

According to Jackson, if a hacking occurs, the tribe will prepare a team to "discover, isolated, and destroys hackers, regardless of whether they are IT departments inside the tribe or external organizations. It should be said.

"The first thing you need is to understand the scale of hacking." It is necessary to respond promptly, and in this framework, we need to work with a group related to forensic and crisis communication.

There are few tribes that own Etish Company, but for them may be the most appropriate time to take this direction.

"I think this is a great opportunity for such companies to enter this market. Now is the time to help the Indian land from these attacks. "

Ramar says, regardless of how tribes are planning to solve cyber security issues. < SPAN> "It looks like he is pursuing his tail. It seems to be growing and evolving in the fashion industry. There is always something new," says Barker. Follow other issues facing other companies and tribal governments, and make as much effort as possible to avoid them. This is almost everyday fight

According to Barker, the Quples Nation Cyber ​​Security category consists of some of the tribal internal staff and external contractors, which are "necessary steps." In addition, by attracting external contractors, it is possible to evaluate how resistant the cyber security system is for external attacks.

"This is a combination of two elements, and I think it's everywhere. We are not as big as Israeli government and have its own system. The existence of an external information source is security measures. I think it is effective to check the resistance, "The developer community of the hacker community and the robbery program is an excellent technical expert. I need it. " According to Jackson, if a hacking occurs, the tribe will prepare a team to "discover, isolated, and destroys hackers, regardless of whether they are IT departments inside the tribe or external organizations. It should be said.

"The first thing you need is to understand the scale of hacking." It is necessary to respond promptly, and in this framework, we need to work with a group related to forensic and crisis communication.

There are few tribes that own Etish Company, but for them may be the most appropriate time to take this direction.

• Ramar says, regardless of how tribes are planning to solve cyber security issues. "It looks like you're pursuing your tail. It seems to be growing and evolving in the same way as the fashion industry. There is always something new," says Barker. Follow other issues facing other companies and tribal governments, and make as much effort as possible to avoid them. This is almost everyday fight
• "This is a combination of two elements, and I think it's everywhere. We are not as big as Israeli government and have its own system. The existence of an external information source is security measures. I think it is effective to check the resistance, "The developer community of the hacker community and the robbery program is an excellent technical expert. I need it. "
• "The first thing you need is to understand the scale of hacking." It is necessary to respond promptly, and in this framework, we need to work with a group related to forensic and crisis communication.
• "I think this is a great opportunity for such companies to enter this market. Now is the time to help the Indian land from these attacks. "
• "I have conducted personal experiments about the destructive power and tragedy of history. Sometimes we have the wrong sense of fake confidence and security, but this should not be," said Lama. These cyber attacks are very large, and we actually observe them carefully, and the faithful people who make up our cyber plants are faithful in our gambling and hotel facilities. All are produced so that they are forced to be convinced. "

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