Alleged Teen Hacker Hit Casinos With a Simple Ruse

A teenager has been arrested for allegedly masterminding cyberattacks that cost Las Vegas casinos over $100 million and exposed customer data, authorities say. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department did not identify the male suspect beyond describing him as a teen, reports USA Today. The minor faces charges of extortion and computer-related offenses in the cyberattacks from 2023 on casinos including Caesars and MGM Resorts.

The hacker didn't tap into casino banking or the like. Instead, authorities say he messed around with internal operations—canceling reservations, disabling slot machines, and blocking hotel key cards, per KTLA. And how did he crack the systems? In "shockingly simple" fashion, explains SFGate. In the case of MGM Resorts, for example, he allegedly found an employee's name on LinkedIn, then called the company's IT department and asked for a password reset. It took about 10 minutes, and the hacker then had access to multiple casinos operated by the company, including MGM Grand, Bellagio, Luxor, Excalibur, and the Cosmopolitan.