Australian Ransomware Attack, 12 April 2021

Ransomware attack to blame for Federal Group’s casino pokies outage in Tasmania

Has impacted gambling and hotel operations since April 3

Source: Ransomware attack to blame for Federal Group’s casino pokies outage in Tasmania | ABC News (Australia)
View other Breaches from Tasmania, also incidents in the Treven and Entertainment sector.

Tasmania’s lone casino operator has confirmed it is being held to ransom in a cyber attack that has impacted its pokies machines and hotel bookings system for more than a week.

In response to detailed questions from the ABC, Federal Group executive director Daniel Hanna said the cyber incident that had shut down pokies at its Wrest Point and Country Club casinos since April 3 had involved ransomware

Dr Hanna said the incident had been contained due to hard work of its team and external experts, but did not answer when poker machines and hotel check-in services, at accommodation including Wrest Point, the Country Club, Saffire Freycinet, MACq 01 and the Henry Jones Art Hotel, would be able to resume.

Dr Hanna did not respond to questions about whether personal or credit card information of customers had been compromised, but said unions and other individuals who commented on the incident “are not involved in the investigation or appraisal of all relevant information, and cannot be relied on to provide accurate information”.

Federal Group did not answer whether it had notified the OAIC of a notifiable data breach.

The Australian Federal Police said it was aware of the incidents impacting Federal Group, but had not received any reports relating to them, and was not investigating the matter.