Lucky Star Among 6 Oklahoma Casinos Hit by Cyberattack

Six Oklahoma casinos have been hit by ransomware, and Lucky Star officials have contacted the FBI to investigate the cyberattack.

Lucky Star Casino Joins the Long List of Ransomware Victims

The FBI is going to investigate a cyberattack on six Oklahoma casinos this week. One of the venues hit by the ransomware is a tribal Lucky Star Casino in Concho, located in western Oklahoma. As the casino’s lights went down, its officials have contacted the FBI for help.

In a statement, issued on Monday, Lucky Star Casino officials stated that the casino is part of the long list of businesses, casinos, and government agencies hit by ransomware. However, they didn’t say what the attackers demanded. Lucky Star apologized to its customers, saying that they don’t know if any personal information leaked.

Experts Advice Customers How to Protect Their Information

According to experts, the ransomware hackers hold the casino’s mainframe hostage since almost all games are computerized. Cybercrime expert Teresa Rule said that the money is there, and that’s what makes it a prime target. Sometimes sensitive information can get compromised.

Rule said that if casinos pay the ransom to get operational again, they feed the system created by the cyberbullies. She said that computer experts’ advice for customers is to stay cyber-safe when they go to a casino. They should use a prepaid credit card to buy their player cards and not use their debit or credit cards.

Even though casinos in Clinton, Canton, Concho, and Watonga have closed without any idea when they will open again, casino officials said that all employees would receive their salaries. They also said that affected customers and employees would receive a letter with the steps to take.

Lucky Star Apologizes to Affected Staff and Customers

In its statement, Lucky Star said that confidentiality and security of their data is a top priority for the casino. The officials had immediately notified the FBI and federal law enforcement. After assessing the situation with the help of their insurance provider and cybersecurity experts, the casino took measures and suspended its operations.

The officials turned to the IT team and external forensic cyber investigators to resolve the situation. Lucky Star apologized to its customers and partners and promised to communicate directly with the affected individuals. The casino hopes to get a resolution soon and open in the upcoming days. The attack follows a similar one on a Wisconsin casino that took place almost two weeks ago; however, there is no indication that the incidents are related.