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Introduction

MGM Resorts, which is an international company, has suffered an ongoing cyberattack which led to the shutdown of a number of its computer systems, including its website, in response to a cybersecurity issue. MGM Resorts International is in touch with external cybersecurity experts to resolve the issue since it has affected its entire Computer systems. MGM is a larger entity and operates thousands of hotel rooms across Las Vegas and the United States. MGM Resorts shared about the incident and posted that MGM recently identified a cybersecurity issue affecting some of the Company's systems. Promptly after detecting the issue, they quickly began an investigation with assistance from leading external cybersecurity experts. MGM has notified law enforcement and took prompt action to protect systems and data, including putting down certain systems. MGM further stated that the investigation is ongoing. 

‍The issue 

Basic operations such as the online reservation and booking system MGM have been affected and shut down due to the cybersecurity issue faced by a lot of visitors. Since earlier times, casino security has been the state of the art as they were very vulnerable to attacks by robbers and con artists. This is what we have also seen in a lot of movies. In today's time, con artists and robbers are now strengthened by cyber tactics. This is exactly what was seen in the case of the MGM attack. 

MGM Resorts is home to best-in-class amenities and facilities for guests, but with the increase in tourist traction, the vulnerabilities and the scope of cyber attacks have also increased. This is also because of open wifis in the establishments and the transition of casinos to e-casinos, thus causing a major shift towards digital and technology-based intervention for better customer experience and streamlining a lot of operations. 

How real is the threat? 

As reported by MGM Resorts, the following systems were impacted in the cyber security attack: 

• Slots Machines: The slot machines placed in the casino suddenly went offline and displayed an error message for the players. Some players who were already using the slot machines lost their bets and were unable to withdraw their winnings. 
• Room Keys: Some of the guests reported that the room keys became unresponsive, and in some cases, the replacement keys were also inactive for some time, causing massive chaos at the reception.  
• Booking Status: All the bookings in today's time are made online; this was one of the worst-hit segments of the cyber attacks. Most of the bookings made automatically were put on hold, and the confirmations could be made only from the hotel reception, thus causing massive cancelling of the bookings and both the hotel and customers losing out on money.
• MGM App: The official app of MGM Resorts was completely down, thus causing a situation of confusion and panic among the guests. The users also received notifications to speak to different customer care executives, but some of the numbers were unattentive and seemed to be operated by bad actors. 
• Data breach: The main focus of the cyber attack was dedicated to committing a data breach. The attack led to the breach of personal data of most of the users registered on the app or on the system of MGM Resorts. 

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Conclusion 

The cyber attack on the tourism industry is a major and growing concern for the industry and its customers. Seeing the volatility of the data and the regular inflow of personal information this makes the hotel's cyber security system a vulnerable choice for bad actors. The cyber attack was no less than a fire sale, where in all the segments of the services offered were impacted. Similar attacks were reported by MGM in 2019 and 2020, and subsequently, the safety measures were also deployed, but the bad actors have hit the resorts chain owners again, in such cases the most paramount defence is having a safe and regularly updated firewall, upskilling of staff for IT issues and attacks, active reporting and investigation mechanisms for assisting the LEAs. In the times of rising cyberattacks, one needs to be critical of their data management and digital footprints. The sooner we adopt safe, secure and resilient cyber hygiene practices, the safer our future will be.  

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References:

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/mgm-resorts-shuts-down-it-systems-after-cyberattack/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2023/09/11/mgm-cyber-attack-impact-resorts-hotels-us/70828503007/

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/12/mgm-resorts-cybersecurity-incident-forces-system-outage.html

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Introduction

Cyber financial offences in India have experienced an alarming surge both in terms of frequency and complexity. Be it phishing attacks or organised fraud syndicates, the nation has been facing a spurt in online financial threats, which leave the victims at their mercy because of procedural lags on the part of law enforcement agencies. To counter this, the Government of India has stepped up measures to create a Cyber-Secure Bharat, focusing on speedy resolution, accountability, and digital empowerment. A key move in this direction is the introduction of the e-Zero FIR initiative, brought forth by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) with Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the helm. This newly developed digital-first system is expected to revolutionise the way cyber financial crimes, particularly those that result in high monetary losses, are handled and investigated.

What Is the e-Zero FIR Initiative?

The e-Zero FIR program is a technology-based platform that enables the automated registration of Zero FIRs for value cyber financial crimes. Led by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs, the programme is now piloted in Delhi and aims to fill a pressing lacuna: the time lag involved in transitioning cybercrime complaints to First Information Reports (FIRs).

Complaints of financial frauds worth more than ₹10 lakh, reported through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) or helpline number 1930, will be automatically turned into e-Zero FIRs under this scheme. Such electronic FIRs are directed to the e-Crime Police Station in Delhi, regardless of jurisdiction, and then relayed to the corresponding territorial cybercrime unit. Complainants can visit the cybercrime Police Station within 3 days and get the Zero FIR converted into a regular FIR.

Key Features of the Initiative

1. Pilot Implementation in Delhi

Launched as a pilot project in Delhi, it will later serve as the first use case for the national rollout. The success of the pilot will determine its implementation in other states and Union Territories.

2. Seamless Digital Integration

The project provides strong back-end integration between:

• NCRP (National Cybercrime Reporting Portal)
• e-FIR System (Delhi Police)
• CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems – NCRB)

This integrated model enables complaints to pass smoothly between platforms and agencies.

3. Zero FIR Auto-Registration and Routing

Now, for complaints lodged through 1930 or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal related to financial losses exceeding the threshold of ₹10 lakh, the system will automatically register a Zero FIR to the e-Crime Police Station of Delhi and then route it to the concerned territorial cybercrime police station, triggering immediate case processing.

4. Victim-Centric Conversion Mechanism

Complainants are given 3 days from the time of filing to physically report to the police station and transform the e-Zero FIR into a conventional regular FIR under Section 173 (1) and 1(ii) of the newly enacted Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). This ensures legal redress is quicker and easier.

Impact and Significance: The CyberPeace View

The e-Zero FIR system is a significant change in India's cybercrime enforcement, offering quicker response times and improved recovery opportunities. Cyber fraud reported within the "golden hour" can boost recovery levels of financial fraud. The system also eliminates jurisdictional barriers and procedural bottlenecks, making it more victim-friendly. Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasised the initiative's alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a digitally resilient India. The system is a scalable national model of tech-based policing supported by organised digital workflows. The initiative allows for real-time analysis of fraud graphs and detection of fraud syndicates through identification and device-based clustering. This is a step towards more automated, context-aware cyber policing, focusing on AI, identity graphs, and velocity to prevent crimes. The system is a step towards a next-generation cyber law enforcement strategy, focusing on AI, identity graphs, and velocity.

Conclusion

The roll-out of the e-Zero FIR program is a turning point in India's battle against cybercrime. By marrying automation with inter-agency coordination and easy-to-use mechanisms, the government has eradicated one of the major stumbling blocks for victims, the delay in taking legal action. Though its pilot phase targets high-value financial frauds in Delhi, its potential for having a countrywide impact is vast. With digital transactions on the upswing and frauds getting more cunning, efforts like these are the key to making a safe, responsive, and victim-centric cyber environment. CyberPeace commends and welcomes this important move towards establishing a Cyber-Secure Bharat, wherein all citizens can make digital transactions with confidence.

References

• https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2129715
• https://www.mha.gov.in/en
• https://cybercrime.gov.in/
• https://www.ncrb.gov.in/
• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/save/new-e-zero-fir-govt-launches-pilot-for-swift-action-against-cybercrimes-how-it-can-help-you/articleshow/121314437.cms?from=mdr

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On March 02, 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration unveiled the National Cybersecurity Plan to ensure that all Americans can enjoy the advantages of a secure digital environment. In this pivotal decade, the United States will reimagine cyberspace as a tool to achieve our goals in a way that is consistent with our values. These values include a commitment to economic security and prosperity, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, faith in our democracy and its institutions, and a commitment to creating a fair and diverse society. This goal cannot be achieved without a dramatic reorganisation of the United States’ cyberspace responsibilities, roles, and resources.

VISION- AIM

A more planned, organised, and well-resourced strategy to cyber protection is necessary for today’s rapidly developing world. State and non-state actors alike are launching creative new initiatives to challenge the United States. New avenues for innovation are opening up as next-generation technologies attain maturity and digital interdependencies are expanding. Thus, this Plan lays forth a plan to counter these dangers and protect the digital future. Putting it into effect can safeguard spending on things like infrastructure, clean energy, and the re-shoring of American industry.

The USA will create its digital environment by:

• Defensible if the cyber defence is comparatively easier, more effective, cheaper
• Resilient, where the impacts of cyberattacks and operator mistakes are lasting and little widespread.
• Values-aligned, where our most cherished values shape—and are in turn reinforced by— our digital world.

Already, the National Security Strategy, Executive Order 14028 (Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity), National Security Memorandum 5 (Improving Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure Control Systems), M-22-09 (Moving the U.S. Government Toward Zero-Trust Cybersecurity Principles), and National Security Memorandum 10 (Improving Cybersecurity for Federal Information Systems) have all been issued to help secure cyberspace and our digital ecosystem (Promoting United States Leadership in Quantum Computing While Mitigating Risks to Vulnerable Cryptographic Systems). The Strategy builds upon previous efforts by acknowledging that the Internet serves not as an end in itself but as a means to a goal—the achievement of our highest ideals.

There are five key points that constitute the National Cybersecurity Strategy:

1. Defend Critical Infrastructure –

Defend critical infrastructure by, among other things: i) enacting cybersecurity regulations to secure essential infrastructure; (ii) boosting public-private sector collaboration; (iii) integrating federal cybersecurity centres; (iv) updating federal incident response plans and processes; and (v) modernising federal systems in accordance with zero trust principles.

2. Disrupt and Dismantle Threat Actors

Disrupt and dismantle threat actors, including by i) integrating military, diplomatic, information, financial, intelligence, and law enforcement competence, (ii) strengthening public-private sector collaborations, (iii) increasing the speed and scale of intelligence sharing and victim information, (iv) preventing the abuse of U.S.-based infrastructure, and (v) increasing disruption campaigns and other endeavours against ransomware operators;

3. Shape Market Forces to Drive Security and Resilience

The federal government can help shape market forces that drive security and resilience by doing the following: i) supporting legislative efforts to limit organisations’ ability to collect, use, transfer, and maintain personal information and providing strong protections for sensitive data (such as geolocation and health data), (ii) boosting IoT device security via federal research, development, sourcing, risk management efforts, and IoT security labelling programs, and (iii) instituting legislation establishing standards for the security of IoT devices. (iv) strengthening cybersecurity contract standards with government suppliers, (v) studying a federal cyber insurance framework, and (vi) using federal grants and other incentives to invest in efforts to secure critical infrastructure.

4. Invest in a Resilient Future

Invest in a resilient future by doing things like i) securing the Internet’s underlying infrastructure, (ii) funding federal cybersecurity R&D in areas like artificial intelligence, cloud computing, telecommunications, and data analytics used in critical infrastructure, (iii) migrating vulnerable public networks and systems to quantum-resistant cryptography-based environments, and (iv) investing hardware and software systems that strengthen the resiliency, safety, and security of these areas, (v) enhancing and expanding the nation’s cyber workforce; and (vi) investing in verifiable, strong digital identity solutions that promote security, interoperability, and accessibility.

5. Forge International Partnerships to Pursue Shared Goals

The United States should work with other countries to advance common interests, such as i) forming international coalitions to counter threats to the digital ecosystem; (ii) increasing the scope of U.S. assistance to allies and partners in strengthening cybersecurity; (iii) forming international coalitions to reinforce global norms of responsible state behaviour; and (v) securing global supply chains for information, communications, and operational technologies.

Conclusion:

The Strategy results from months of work by the Office of the National Cyber Director (“ONCD”), the primary cybersecurity policy and strategy advisor to President Biden and coordinates cybersecurity engagement with business and international partners. The National Security Council will oversee the Strategy’s implementation through ONCD and the Office of Management and Budget.

In conclusion, we can say that the National Cybersecurity Plan of the Biden administration lays out an ambitious goal for American cybersecurity that is to be accomplished by the end of the decade. The administration aims to shift tasks and responsibilities to those organisations in the best position to safeguard systems and software and to encourage incentives for long-term investment in cybersecurity to build a more cyber-secure future.

It is impossible to assess the cyber strategy in a vacuum. It’s critical to consider the previous efforts and acknowledge the ones that still need to be made. The implementation specifics for several aspects of the approach are left up to a yet-to-be-written plan.

Given these difficulties, it would be simple to voice some pessimism at this stage regarding the next effort that will be required. Yet, the Biden administration has established a vision for cybersecurity oriented towards the future, with novel projects that could fundamentally alter how the United States handles and maintains cybersecurity. The Biden administration raised the bar for cybersecurity by outlining this robust plan, which will be challenging for succeeding administrations to let go. Also, it has alerted Congress to areas where it will need to act.

References:

• https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/02/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-national-cybersecurity-strategy/
• https://www.huntonprivacyblog.com/2023/03/02/white-house-releases-national-cybersecurity-strategy/
• https://www.lawfareblog.com/biden-harris-administration-releases-new-national-cybersecurity-strategy