Ultimately, ransomware and data extortion attacks settle into the background again, even as they continue to wreak havoc and impact vulnerable populations. The recent spate of casino hacks exemplifies a larger cycle in which certain cyberattacks bring a lot of attention to digital threats and even spur governments to act. While both are significant, experts emphasize that the fallout from this pair of prominent hacks fits into a broader context of ransomware attacks as a ubiquitous, unrelenting, and inveterate threat. After Bloomberg broke the news on Wednesday about the Caesars breach, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Caesars had paid roughly half of the $30 million its attackers demanded in exchange for a promise that they wouldn't release stolen customer data. The two high-profile incidents have drawn scrutiny this week, with MGM customers reporting sporadic keycard issues in the company's hotels, slot machines gone dark, ATMs out of order, and other difficulties staying at MGM properties and cashing out winnings.
