Guests react to MGM electronic shutdown following data breach

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - While a massive cyberattack impacted MGM properties across the country, guests at its Strip locations found themselves in a pre-electronic world.

“Nobody could help us,” one guest at Mandalay Bay told FOX5. “Computers were down.”

Many of MGM’s centralized online services were down. This included mobile check-in options and online restaurant reservations.

Casino operations were also impacted.

“The slot machines were dark,” another guest said. “It was so surreal in a way.”

Another guest told FOX5 MGM’s ATMs were down and he couldn’t get money from the cashier. MGM said these services had been restored by Monday evening.

Parking was also impacted, with at least a few hotels allowing cars to park for free Monday.

On top of that, employees say they were not able to access their time cards or HR services. MGM tells FOX5 it has taken steps to protect its data and contacted law enforcement. The FBI’s Las Vegas Bureau also confirms it is assisting in the investigation.

In the midst of the confusion, Rich Brinkerhoff, visiting from San Francisco, kept a cool head.

“It really doesn’t seem like too big of a burden,” he said calmly. “It is what it is. We’ve just got to go back to the dark ages a little bit.”

Brinkenhoff noted it was inconvenient he couldn’t use his credit card, but planned to take cash out when ATMs started working again. He also expressed worry that a cyber attack like this affected a company as large as MGM.

“If it can happen to MGM, can it happen more widespread?” he asked. “Because that would be more of an issue, you know?”

One more feature knocked out by the cyber attack was MGM’s internal email server. The company is being forced to communicate with media members, including FOX5, through Gmail accounts. FOX5 has reached out and verified those emails are legitimate.

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