An unnamed casino in Las Vegas was recently hacked and had its database of high rollers stolen. What makes this so interesting though is how the hackers managed to breach the casino’s security. The hackers were able to gain access to the casino’s network through a thermostat located in the aquarium on the property.
A smart Thermostat located in a fish tank was responsible for a recent Las Vegas casino hack. The hackers were able to steal the casino’s high-roller database
Fish Tank Thermostat the Weak Link
That’s right; hackers managed to hack the casino through the fish tank. The hackers gain access via the smart thermostat, which is obviously connected to the internet. Once they had access, they were able to locate the high roller database and pull it through the thermostat and upload it to the cloud. This has to be one of the most unusual ways of hacking a casino we have ever heard.
It should also be taken as a warning for other casinos and companies out there. It illustrates how hackers are able to target the “internet of things” (IOT). This term is used to describe numerous smart objects that companies are integrating into their networks. As more and more smart devices are created, it is only going to make the problem worse, and these can potentially create weak links in a network security system.
IOT Devices a Security Risk
The incident with the smart thermostat in the aquarium is just the latest incident to affect IOT devices. The Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas has suffered several breaches in security. These allowed the hackers to obtain the cardholder names, card numbers, and CVV numbers of hotel guests.
Hackers have been able to gain access through numerous different types of smart IOT devices. There was also a bank that was hacked through the CCTV cameras installed. Cybercrime experts are calling for caution as the problem is likely to get worse going forward. They are calling for a set standard for minimum security on smart devices.
