Sault Tribe works to recover from cyber attack
“Some tribal organizations were impacted more severely than others and are still recovering, but we’re fortunate to be able to reopen Kewadin’s doors and continue serving as a prime entertainment destination for the eastern U.P.,” said Sault Tribe Chairman Austin Lowes.
What’s happening: The Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians is slowly reopening casinos, event centers and more, following a major cyberattack that began on February 9. Since then, the Tribe has focused on identifying what data was exposed in the attack and reinstating services impacted by disrupted phone lines and other IT resources. RansomHub has taken credit for the Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) attack. The group has also infiltrated Planned Parenthood of Montana, Mexico’s Presidential Legal Affairs Office and the Scottish housing charity Albyn Housing Society.
More than entertainment: While the five Kewadin Casinos spread across the Eastern U.P. were impacted by the attack, it was only a part of the problems for the tribal governments. Tribal healthcare locations from Sault Ste. Marie to Escanaba struggled to communicate with patients, and businesses were temporarily closed as far away as Marquette. Childcare and Elder services both were disrupted, as temporary phone numbers had to be set up. Tribal law enforcement was unable to issue new hunting and fishing licenses.
What they’re saying: “Some tribal organizations were impacted more severely than others and are still recovering, but we’re fortunate to be able to reopen Kewadin’s doors and continue serving as a prime entertainment destination for the eastern U.P.,” said Sault Tribe Chairman Austin Lowes. “To our guests who were unable to visit us during this time, I am very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused. Our team worked with outside cybersecurity experts around the clock to make the necessary steps to strengthen and enhance our IT systems, and we are open and ready for business.”
What’s next: Lowes said through a statement that the Tribe will not respond to the ransom demand, based on a combination of strong recovery of stolen data and the lack of guarantees from the attackers. Additional financial services are being provided to all tribal members to help any individuals that may have been impacted by the attack.
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