It's been 12 days and counting since a cyberattack forced the sudden closure of 14 casinos across Ontario, including sites in Sudbury, North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Wasaga Beach, Innisfil and Rama, close to Orillia.
The operator, Gateway Casinos and Entertainment, has since confirmed it was hit by ransomware — a malicious breed of software that encrypts critical computer files, allowing the online attacker to demand hefty payments in exchange for releasing the data.
Gateway Casinos is just the latest victim. In recent months, dark-web hackers have targeted other high-profile organizations, including school boards, Scouts Canada, the LCBO — even SickKids Hospital.
"Attacks are increasing quite significantly, and nobody is immune," says Sai Huda, a best-selling author and founder of CyberCatch, a leading online security firm. "These criminal gangs, and others, have realized there are a lot of potential victims out there, and they are ramping it up."
Huda was a recent guest on Inside the Village, a news and current affairs podcast produced by Village Media. He explained what's driving the recent surge in cyberattacks, and what companies and individuals can do to limit their risk.
You can watch the full episode here.
Every episode of Inside the Village is available on this news site /insidethevillage. If you prefer the audio version, it is available wherever you find your favourite podcasts.
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