Teenage hacker arrested for cyberattacks against Las Vegas casinos

LAS VEGAS – A teenage suspect has been arrested in connection with a series of cyberattacks that cost casinos on the Las Vegas strip at least $100 million, according to authorities.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department announced that the teenage boy has been accused of multiple charges, including extortion and unlawful acts involving a computer for a “sophisticated cyber crime” in 2023.

The cyberattacks resulted in Caesars Entertainment losing sensitive customer data, according to financial filings, and MGM Resorts International properties experienced significant operational disruptions.

From August to October 2023, several Las Vegas casinos were targeted by an “organized cyber threat-actor group,” using names including: “Scattered Spider,” “Octo Tempest,” “UNC3944” and “0ktapus,” according to the police.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Las Vegas Cyber Task Force identified the suspect, authorities confirmed.

MGM Resorts International did not comment on the arrest when contacted by USA TODAY. Caesars Entertainment has not yet responded to a request for comment.

The arrest in Las Vegas comes nearly a month after a cyberattack struck Nevada’s public services.

The “network security incident” that happened on Aug. 25, according to Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, prompted the state to isolate and take some systems offline to contain the threat, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal. a part of the USA TODAY Network.

Lombardo emphasized in a Sept. 12 update that no evidence has emerged that Nevadans’ personal information has been compromised.”

This article originally appeared on USA Today

Reporting by James Powel, Amaris Encinas and Jeffrey Meehan, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect