Cybersecurity Is Not A Gamble: Managed Detection and Response Upgrade
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation is a federally recognized tribe located on one of the oldest Native American reservations in Southeastern Connecticut and are pioneers of the Indian casino gaming industry. The tribe owns and operates one of the largest gaming resort destinations in North America and is one of the highest revenue contributors and most significant employers in Connecticut.
Opened in 1992 as a 1,200-seat bingo hall, Foxwoods Resort Casino was the first full-service casino built on an Indian reservation by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, leading a nationwide tribal gaming movement. Today, Foxwoods is one of the largest resort casinos in North America, offering guests over 9 million square feet (about the total floor space of the Pentagon) of destination gaming and integrated experiences—all in one place.
As a casino, their financial profile is significant. The gaming industry faces staggering challenges with cybersecurity, evidenced by the recent losses casino-giant MGM experienced, and insurance rates soar without proper security. As stewards of their company and their clients, Foxwoods had an extremely high level of security across the casino, but resource constraints called for a co-managed MDR solution. They sought TekStream as a provider that would provide a transparent, collaborative relationship.
Technologies Involved
Enterprise Security
MDR
SOAR
SIEM
AWS Cloud
Key Pain Points
Trust in the prior provider was eroded because the proprietary SIEM used did not give access or visibility
Setup and communication with prior provider created gaps in coverage, hampering Foxwoods ability to make informed decisions on critical issues
Client was forced to handle remediation of alerts
Solution Provided
TekStream uses Splunk Enterprise Security and an exposure management tool for a comprehensive security program that the Foxwoods Casino team can trust. By collaborating with the TekStream MDR team, the Foxwoods SOC team has full visibility into their security posture at all times. Tickets and cases can be worked together which continually improves their knowledge of the environment and threat landscape . The solution gives them a refreshed detection methodology and honed alerts that minimize false positives and poor alert views. Leveraging TekStream’s immense experience, the upgraded system uses a templated approach while also identifying where out-of-the-box doesn’t solve the unique requirements of Foxwoods. The system is tuned infinitely and has provided immediate value they didn’t get with their prior provider.
A robust threat exposure management protocol has been enacted to evaluate mitigation options and risk assessment for the client. By identifying vulnerabilities and configuration concerns we are able to map viable attack paths, prioritize remediation and validate control effectiveness. Testing, validation and simulations support the protocols.
With improved data collection and detection fidelity, they are now able to discover anomalies that could lead to malicious activity. Gap analysis was performed to surface new use cases and new technologies that could be used. Previously unused Splunk functionality was integrated and leveraged in their operations. The collaborative relationship developed with TekStream gives credence to their needs while ensuring they are covered securely.
Key Successes
- Collaboration with TekStream fit the client’s mature, deeply knowledgeable security team environment. Frequent discussions around detections and volume shore up knowledge base at Foxwoods and edge all tactical approaches ahead
- Exposure management leveraged as a verification tool
- Before TekStream, they were only using 30% of their Splunk instance (as an ingest vehicle only). Current MDR program fully utilizes Splunk state-of-the-art security program and license.
- Mitre attack coverage provides additional layer of visibility.
About The Company
Customer: Foxwoods Resort Casino
Industry: First Nation Gaming Resort
Location: Ledyard, CT
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation is a federally recognized tribe located on one of the oldest Native American reservations in Southeastern Connecticut and are pioneers of the Indian casino gaming industry. The tribe owns and operates one of the largest gaming resort destinations in North America and is one of the highest revenue contributors and most significant employers in Connecticut.