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Ryan Tucker
- Sep 16, 2023
- 2 min read

Business Post MGM-Caesars Attack

In the wake of the MGM-Caesars breach, small business owners, like you, wonder about the implications and lessons to be learned.

Here's what small businesses should know:

The Breach Overview:

Reports have surfaced about the BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware group infiltrating MGM's infrastructure, encrypting over 100 ESXi hypervisors, and exfiltrating data. They've threatened further attacks unless a ransom is paid. Caesars reportedly paid a hefty ransom to resolve a similar situation. Here are the key takeaways all small businesses should know:

The Key Takeaways:

Virtualization Vulnerabilities: As businesses increasingly adopt virtualization, encrypting ESXi servers can cripple functionality. This tactic is not new but remains effective.
Defense-In-Depth: Small businesses should prioritize layered cybersecurity defenses and redundancy for business-critical applications, despite the costs. It's an investment in long-term security.
Social Engineering Challenges: The breach involved social engineering attacks, emphasizing the importance of training employees to recognize and thwart such attempts.
Lateral Movement: Attackers gained Super Administrator rights in Okta, which allowed them to move laterally within the network. This highlights the need for robust post-incident investigations and security measures. How do I protect my business?

The Bigger Picture:

This incident underscores the multifaceted nature of cyber threats. It's a stark reminder that ransomware attacks, like this one, involve data encryption and the threat of data release. Not to mention that attackers often maintain access even after the initial breach.

The attackers' profile, primarily young English-speakers, serves as a reminder that cyber adversaries can emerge from unexpected quarters.

What Small Businesses Should Do:

Protect your small business from cyber attacks:

Investing in robust cybersecurity defenses and services.
Providing comprehensive employee training on recognizing and mitigating social engineering attacks and phishing attacks.
Conducting thorough incident response tabletop exercises.
Ensuring privilege escalation is challenging for potential attackers.

In conclusion, the MGM-Caesars breach provides critical insights for small businesses. It's a complex threat landscape out there, but with the right precautions and strategies, you can bolster your cybersecurity defenses and protect your business from similar risks. Stay vigilant and invest in security. Don't take a chance and gamble on your cybersecurity. You don't have to go it alone. Cyber Uplink will be your guide through cyberspace. Our mission is to Secure Our Tomorrow. We focus on bringing small businesses and cybersecurity together... FOR FREE. If you're a small business and are unsure about your cybersecurity or just want to speak to a cybersecurity expert for free. Schedule a free meeting with a cybersecurity expert below: