Kewadin Casinos, operated by the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, faced a targeted ransomware attack that forced the shutdown of its facilities across multiple Michigan locations, including Manistique, Hessel, St. Ignace, Christmas, and Sault Ste. Marie. The attack disrupted core operations, halting gaming functions entirely and crippling tribal administration services such as health and business operations. While existing hotel guests remained accommodated, new check-ins were suspended, directly impacting revenue and customer trust.The Sault Tribe Chairman acknowledged the incident could extend beyond a week, indicating prolonged operational paralysis. Third-party cybersecurity experts were engaged to restore systems and investigate potential data breaches, though the extent of compromised data whether customer, employee, or financial was not disclosed. The attack’s ripple effect threatened not only the casinos’ financial stability but also the broader tribal governance and community services dependent on these operations. The forced closure of a major economic hub like the casinos risks long-term reputational damage and regional economic strain, particularly for a tribal entity where gaming revenue funds critical public services.
TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/kewadin-casinos
"id": "kew0632106100725",
"linkid": "kewadin-casinos",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "2/2025",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "6",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the economy of geographical region"{'affected_entities': [{'industry': 'Gaming and Entertainment',
'location': ['Manistique, Michigan, USA',
'Hessel, Michigan, USA',
'St. Ignace, Michigan, USA',
'Christmas, Michigan, USA',
'Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, USA'],
'name': 'Kewadin Casinos (Manistique, Hessel, St. '
'Ignace, Christmas, Sault Ste. Marie)',
'type': 'Casino and Hospitality'},
{'industry': 'Public Administration, Gaming, Healthcare',
'location': 'Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, USA',
'name': 'Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians',
'type': 'Tribal Government'}],
'customer_advisories': ['Hotels open to current guests; new check-ins '
'suspended'],
'description': 'Casinos in Michigan operated by the Sault Tribe of Chippewa '
'Indians were targeted by a ransomware attack, forcing the '
'shutdown of Kewadin Casinos in Manistique, Hessel, St. '
'Ignace, Christmas, and Sault Ste. Marie. Hotels remain open '
'to current guests, but new check-ins are unavailable. The '
'attack also impacted tribal administration, including health '
'and business operations. Third-party experts were hired to '
'restore gaming functions and investigate the data security '
'event. The Sault Tribe Chairman, Austin Lowes, stated the '
'issue may take over a week to resolve.',
'impact': {'downtime': 'Ongoing (expected to last at least a week or longer)',
'operational_impact': ['Casino shutdowns in Manistique, Hessel, '
'St. Ignace, Christmas, and Sault Ste. '
'Marie',
'Hotel check-ins suspended for new guests',
'Disruption to tribal administration '
'(health, business operations)'],
'systems_affected': ['Gaming systems (casinos)',
'Tribal administration systems (health, '
'business operations)']},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing (third-party experts investigating)',
'ransomware': {'data_encryption': True},
'response': {'communication_strategy': ['Public statement by Sault Tribe '
'Chairman Austin Lowes'],
'incident_response_plan_activated': True,
'remediation_measures': ['Hiring third-party experts to restore '
'gaming functions',
'Investigation into the data security '
'event'],
'third_party_assistance': True},
'title': 'Ransomware Attack on Kewadin Casinos Operated by Sault Tribe of '
'Chippewa Indians',
'type': 'Ransomware Attack'}