Vulnerable Native American tribes encounter heightened risks from assailants on TribalNet
In a keynote address at the TribalNet Conference & Tradeshow in Reno, Brent Hutfless, who leads the information-security program for Wind Creek Hospitality, sounded the alarm about a growing danger facing tribal casinos: cyber attacks.
Hutfless highlighted the importance of being vigilant against these threats, particularly in the digital age where some tribes may unknowingly engage in online gaming. He emphasized the need for a prepared legal team to take down content and pursue cases in court against social-media platforms and companies that host these attacks.
One of the key tactics used by attackers is impersonating familiar faces and brands, a task made easier by AI. Criminals are using email to trick staff into transferring funds or revealing sensitive information, and creating fake Microsoft Teams pages and ads to promote exclusive online or VIP access to casinos. These fake pages often come from accounts with limited history or activity, but have good-looking photos.
Hutfless suggested several measures to combat these threats. He recommended awareness training for employees to monitor for fake profiles on social media. He also advised setting up instructions for the marketing team and social media platforms to remove imposter content.
In addition, Hutfless suggested implementing comprehensive cybersecurity training for staff, enhancing collaboration between IT security, marketing, sales, and legal teams to monitor and respond to threats; securing websites and social media channels with strong authentication and regular audits; and developing clear legal protocols for incident response and data protection in casinos, hospitality, and entertainment sectors.
Hutfless acknowledged the challenges in providing immediate solutions to these problems, but expressed a wish for a quick and easy solution. He has received reports of customers losing money on non-existent online-gambling sites, damaging the brand's reputation.
Attackers are specifically targeting accounting people, chief financial officers, and IT staff. Deep-fake audio and video involving key executives has occurred in companies. The attackers' goal is to gain access to the casino's systems, where they can capture data, shut down operations, and hold the casino hostage for ransom.
Casinos, hospitality, and entertainment industries are frequent targets for nefarious activities due to their association with money, celebrities, and a certain lifestyle. Microsoft Teams and social-media protection services are available to tribes to help them navigate these threats.
Hutfless emphasized the importance of collaborating with marketing teams, legal teams, and risk officers in dealing with fake online content. Fraudsters are also sending direct messages on social media, posing as marketing or support teams, and conducting help-desk attacks.
In conclusion, Brent Hutfless's warning serves as a call to action for tribal casinos to strengthen their cybersecurity measures and collaborate with various teams to protect their brands, employees, and customers from these increasingly sophisticated threats.
