Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has had some hard luck when it comes to data breaches. Last year, the company admitted that hackers had breached their POS (Point of Sale) credit card processing system from September 2014 through April of 2015, swiping credit card numbers, expiration dates, and card holder names. Now, they’ve admitted a second breach, this one occurring between October 27, 2015 and March 21, 2016.
If you visited the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino at any point during either of these periods, then odds are good that your credit card data has been compromised.
The company reports that the data capture was uneven. In some cases, the hackers were only able to get the credit card number itself, with no related information. In others, they were able to swipe the full record, which includes card number, account holder name, card expiration data and security code. In either case, that’s more than enough data to make illicit use of your credit card.
From the perspective of the individual user, if you have visited the casino during either of these periods, your next move should be to report that your card data has been stolen and have a new card issued. Monitor your accounts closely until your new card is in hand, and be on the lookout for suspicious charge activity.
For business, the lesson that’s being driven home is blindingly simple. The hackers are winning this fight, and if your own data security isn’t as robust as it could be, then your company could be next. It’s no longer enough to have “decent” digital security, and it is increasingly the case that traditional security solutions are proving to be ineffective.
The recommendation from some of the top security monitors and research teams in the industry is to outsource your digital security to a company that specializes in it, and who can devote more resources to constantly scanning the ever-changing landscape for evolving threats.
If you are interested in moving in this direction, but aren’t sure where to start, contact us, and one of our knowledgeable team members can assess your current situation and make recommendations about how best to proceed.
