Summary:
- Slots were one portion of computerized systems attacked.
- Machines at the casino have dark screens or error messages currently.
- The hackers could have glitched the systems and spit out inaccurate payment vouchers.
MGM Resorts International reportedly dodged a huge bullet with the recent cyberattack by hackers. According to one industry expert, damage was done, but the result could have been much worse.
The casino’s slot machines were part of the attack, and many remain dark or have error screens as MGM continues to deal with computer issues since September 10. One expert believes that the hackers could have done more damage by payout out from the machines via invalid vouchers. Thankfully, that did not occur.
What’s Happening Now?
If you visit MGM Casino in Las Vegas, you will find the employees of the casino are walking the floor and handing out winnings to players. The machines that are working cannot provide payouts as the ticketing system has been shut down.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, an expert in slot machines, John Acres, has his opinion about the slot machines and how MGM could have been affected. The slots provide the ticket-out system with safeguards in place to prevent issues such as improper payouts.
This is known as TITO, and the system was created by Five Star Solutions. The system has been enhanced over the years to provide adequate security for slot machines at various casinos. However, the problem with hackers is that the ticketing system can be attacked and wins duplicated.
The system’s creators knew that players might try to copy win tickets and make duplicates, so there is a system that tracks TITO tickets and those that have been redeemed. This way, one ticket cannot be duplicated and redeemed again. However, when MGM’s systems went down, there was a fear that the hackers would change the TITO tickets and checking system to produce more wins.
Shutting Down the System
Once MGM realized this might be a problem, they shut down the ticketing system. Acres believes that MGM saw the threat and shut down systems so that the ticketing system could not be changed. Some people think that the hackers were trying to create even more chaos by programming the slot machines to give out fake TITO tickets that could be cashed in at a later date.
However, the supposed hackers have stated that was not their intention. Dark web chat has suggested that the alleged hackers did not try to mess with MGM’s slot machines to provide wins because that would not be to their benefit and would decrease a chance of a ransom deal.
About the Author
