Las Vegas Sands hackers may have penetrated databases deeper than first thought

The video was posted from an account named “Zhao Anderson” and was subsequently anonymously flagged to a number of media outlets, presumably to ensure that it was given publicity.

The video was quickly taken down by Youtube, but not before a number of industry, media and security observers had viewed it, reporting that the hacking gang claimed to have made off with 828 gigs of information from the corporate records of the huge company, owned by multi-billionaire land gambling baron Sheldon Adelson.

The publication Net Security reported that highly sensitive financial and personal information and technical passwords appeared to be among the data displayed in the video, indicating that the criminal penetration went far deeper than Sands’ claims that the assault was halted at the corporate mail server.

Sands spokesman Ron Reese was quick to respond, admitting that his company has since established that the hackers had “…reached at least some of the company’s internal drives in the US.”

He advised that company (and presumably FBI) investigators were reviewing the Youtube video in an attempt to determine exactly how big the security breach had been and what, if any, data may have been stolen. However, he sounded a note of optimism in saying the company does not believe that its “core operating systems” were invaded.

The hacking attack was allegedly mounted in retaliation for an Adelson speech in Israel in which he reportedly advocated a US nuclear strike in the Iranian desert to deter that country from further nuclear development.