On the eve of the Christmas holidays, the state of Ohio was targeted in a cyberattack that disrupted the functioning of several internal information systems. The attackers successfully infiltrated the corporate network and encrypted the data, leading to disruptions in customer service.
Despite the incident, the game system and the acceptance of bets at retail points are still operating normally. However, the mobile application for claiming prizes over $599 had to be temporarily suspended.
In addition, access to information about the results of popular games such as Keno, Lucky One, and Ezplay Progressive Jackpots is temporarily unavailable on the website and mobile application. This inconvenience affects players who rely on tracking their winnings online.
Nevertheless, customers can still check the results of the draws at retail points and on the website. Prizes up to $599 can be claimed at any retail point. For larger amounts, customers should contact the company’s head office or submit an online form.
The responsibility for the attack has been claimed by a hacker group known as Dragonforce. In a message accompanying their data leaks, the attackers stated that they have stolen confidential information related to customers and employees.
“More than 3,000,000 records, including names, surnames, email addresses, residential addresses, winnings, social insurance numbers, and dates of birth of players and personnel. [..] The total amount of stolen data after unpacking will be about 600+ gigabytes,” the statement read.
It is evident that the attackers are motivated by financial gain. They are now awaiting the victim’s willingness to negotiate and determine the ransom amount that satisfies both parties.
Little is known about the activities of Dragonforce. Despite being a relatively new group, their tactics and negotiation style indicate that they are experienced cybercriminals. It is possible that they are a rebranded version of a previously notorious hacker group.
The leadership of the state of Ohio has issued an apology to clients for the inconvenience caused. The company’s experts are doing everything possible to restore the affected services promptly. The incident is currently under thorough investigation.