Sites that are powered by SBTech were shutdown due to a cybersecurity threat. Certain sites have been down for over 48 hours the provider tries to figure out the reason behind the attack. Customers of SBTech like BetAmerica, Oregon Lottery, Resorts and the Golden Nugget were alerted to the issue on Friday night.
Shutdown Details
Global data centers of SBTech were shut down as a protective measure in order to stop an attempted attack. Since the shutdown, all 50 B2B partners of the company around the globe have been unable to provide service for a few days now.
Customers who wager via operators who use the full platform of SBTech are now complaining of not being able to access their funds. On the bright side, it appears that the data of SBTech was encrypted properly so no data was stolen during the attack. Law enforcement agencies are currently looking into the attack, trying to determine what happened.
When visiting a site powered by SBTech it says the site is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance and apologizes for any inconvenience. The statement says the site will be back online as soon as possible.
How Long Will the Shutdown Last?
Once the issue has been determined, SBTech will have to be cleared by regulators in order to launch their services again in the United States. Because of this requirement, there is no set data as to when the sites will relaunch. In the US, the brand offers services in six states; Arkansas, Indiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oregon and Pennsylvania.
Several sites have been hit hard due to the shutdown including BetAmerica. They operate on the full platform, which includes their online casino. Due to the shutdown, they are not able to serve customers and this is a prime opportunity to iGaming operators due to the coronavirus outbreak. Players are logging on now more than ever to access online casino and poker games as a form of entertainment.
Golden Nugget and Resorts operate online in New Jersey, but only use the sportsbook option from SBTech, so they will not be affected as much. Their online casino gaming options operate via a different provider.
What Type of Attack Took Place?
It is still unclear as to what type of attack took place. GRCI Group chief information security officer Geraint Williams said the incident appears to be like a ransomware attack. In this instance, the hackers are trying to steal company data as well as code. According to Williams, it can take companies much longer to restore systems after a ransomware attack when compared to a DDOS attack.
We assume that more information will be provided in the coming days or weeks as SBTech continues to work on the issue. The goal of course will be security for companies and their players as well as getting services back on track as quickly as possible.
Hackers commonly go after casino and other types of gaming companies due their massive amount of data. Hackers can get a hold of personal information as well as financial data that can be used to their gain. In some hacking cases, people have their credit used or personal information sold to others.
Thankfully, in this instance, players can worry less as SBTech had the right measures in place to ensure that player data remained secure. It will be interesting to learn more about this attempt in the future, when more details are provided.
