A 17-year-old youth was arrested for being a member of the ransomware group 'BlackCat' that launched a cyber attack on the global hotel resort MGM Resorts



A 17-year-old boy from the UK has been arrested for allegedly conducting a ransomware attack against MGM Resorts International , a global leader in the hospitality and entertainment industry.

Walsall teenager arrested in joint West Midlands Police and FBI operation | West Midlands Police
https://www.westmidlands.police.uk/news/west-midlands/news/news/2024/july/walsall-teenager-arrested-in-joint-west-midlands-police-and-fbi-operation/



UK Police Arrest Suspect in MGM Ransomware Attack
https://www.404media.co/uk-police-arrest-suspect-in-mgm-ransomware-attack/

UK teen arrested in connection to MGM hack - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/19/24202142/uk-teen-mgm-hack-arrested-fbi

In September 2023, MGM Resorts International was hit by a cyber attack that rendered several of the company's systems unusable. As a result, the online reservation systems and lobby ATMs at the company's hotels were unavailable, and slot machines and ATMs at the casinos it operates were inoperable.




According to malware tracking site vx-underground, a ransomware group called ALPHV (aka BlackCat) claimed responsibility for the cyberattack, claiming to have used social engineering attacks and called MGM Resorts International's help desk using employee information found on LinkedIn to launch the cyberattack.




On July 19, 2024 local time, the West Midlands Police in the UK, in cooperation with the FBI and the National Crime Agency (NCA), announced the arrest of a 17-year-old youth who is said to be part of a cybercrime group that has repeatedly targeted several major companies, including MGM Resorts International, in ransomware attacks. The arrested youth was detained on suspicion of violating UK laws on hacking and blackmail, but was released on bail at the time of writing.

On July 20, 2024, the FBI also announced that it had arrested members of a criminal group that, in collaboration with the NCA, West Midlands Police, and the Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCUWM), launched cyber attacks on major companies, including MGM Resorts.




West Midlands Police said the arrests were 'part of a global investigation into a major cyber hacking ring which has targeted a number of major companies, including MGM Resorts in the US'.

Detective Superintendent Hinesh Mehta, Cyber Crime Unit Manager at ROCUWM, said: 'This arrest follows a complex investigation which spanned both overseas and the US and we have worked closely with the NCA and FBI. These cybercrime gangs have been using ransomware to target well-known organisations and successfully extract large sums of money from them. We want to send a clear message to cybercrime gangs: we will find you.'

'This arrest is a testament to the strength of the FBI's domestic, international and private sector collaboration,' said Brian Vaughn, Assistant Director of the FBI's Cyber Division. 'Working with our partners, the FBI will continue to relentlessly pursue bad actors who target American businesses, regardless of where they are located or the sophistication of their methods.'

MGM Resorts International issued a statement saying, 'We are proud to have assisted law enforcement in the investigation and arrest of one of the suspects responsible for cyber attacks against MGM Resorts and many other companies. We know firsthand the damage these criminals cause and the importance of working with law enforcement to fight back. By voluntarily shutting down our systems, refusing to pay the ransom, and working with law enforcement on the investigation and response, the message was clear to the criminals. We are forever grateful to the FBI for collaborating and assisting our international law enforcement partners in bringing these criminals to justice.'

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in Security, Posted by logu_ii