Advanced cybercriminal groups excel at monetizing compromised environments. Their attacks on retail and hospitality businesses showcase long-term planning, strategic infiltration, and surgical execution. This article dissects how a notorious cybercriminal group could launch an attack, exposing vulnerabilities that business owners and decision-makers must address before becoming the next victim.
Phase 1: The Hunting Game – Reconnaissance and Initial Access
Attackers don’t rush; they study. Just like experienced hunters, they have the patience and expertise to track their prey’s footsteps and prepare the trap before they strike. They often spend weeks or even months gathering intelligence before launching an attack. A typical breach starts weeks, even months before actual exploitation.
One of the primary methods attackers uses is compromised credentials. They often acquire employee login details through phishing, credential stuffing, or purchasing stolen data from dark web marketplaces.
Insecure Wi-Fi access points also present a major vulnerability. When retail stores or hotels share guest Wi-Fi with POS systems or weak passwords, attackers can exploit this weakness by using packet sniffing to extract sensitive payment information or deploy malware.
Phishing and social engineering tactics are commonly used by cybercriminals to trick employees into providing access. Attackers send fake urgent emails impersonating vendors, executives, or IT support, luring unsuspecting staff into revealing their login details.
Phase 2: Lateral Movement and Privilege Escalation
Once inside, attackers don’t strike immediately. Instead, they expand their foothold, leveraging low-hanging fruit targets to gain administrative control.
Once inside the network, attackers deploy stealth malware using automated tools such as Cobalt Strike and Metasploit or using their more advanced tradecrafts. These tools allow them to execute malicious scripts while evading traditional antivirus detection.
To escalate their privileges, attackers exploit unpatched system vulnerabilities or extract Active Directory credentials, giving them higher levels of access to critical systems.
To move undetected through the network, cybercriminals often misuse legitimate IT administration tools such as Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), PowerShell, and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), making their activity appear normal and avoiding security alerts.
Phase 3: The Objective – Data Theft or Ransomware Payment
Their primary goal is financial gain through card data theft, e-commerce skimming, or ransomware deployment.
Attackers frequently target POS systems with malware like TRINITY or FrameworkPOS. These memory-scraping programs extract unencrypted credit card data before it can be securely transmitted, allowing cybercriminals to steal payment information.
Some attacks involve the injection of malicious JavaScript into e-commerce checkout pages, allowing attackers to secretly collect credit card details as customers complete their online transactions.
When attackers find that POS encryption or EMV chip technology prevents them from stealing credit card data, they often shift their strategy to deploying ransomware. This allows them to lock down business operations and demand a ransom payment to restore access.
Business Impact of Such Cyber Attack
When a cyberattack succeeds, the consequences can be catastrophic for a business, including:
Financial Loss: A cyberattack can lead to direct monetary theft, where stolen credit card data results in chargebacks and financial fraud losses. If ransomware is deployed, attackers often demand payments ranging from thousands to millions of dollars. Additionally, businesses that fail to protect customer data may face severe regulatory fines under Australia’s Privacy Act and GDPR regulations for international transactions.
Business Interruption: A successful cyberattack can completely halt business operations, particularly if POS systems are locked or compromised, making transactions impossible. The financial impact can be worsened by lost revenue, as businesses may be forced to close temporarily, leading to lost earnings for days or even weeks. Recovery efforts are also costly, as IT forensic investigations, system rebuilds, and cybersecurity improvements all demand significant investment.
Reputational Damage: Customer trust is often one of the biggest casualties of a data breach. Once sensitive information, such as payment details or personal data, is compromised, consumers may lose confidence in the affected business. The situation is made worse by negative media coverage, which can permanently damage a brand’s reputation. As a result, businesses may struggle to regain customers, leading to a long-term decline in revenue and loyalty.
Legal Consequences & Lawsuits: Businesses affected by a cyberattack may also face legal action. Customers whose data has been compromised could file lawsuits for damages related to identity theft or fraud. In addition, failure to meet security standards, such as PCI DSS for payment security, can result in legal action from regulators and banks, further complicating the financial and operational recovery of the business.
Real-World Cyber Incidents
KillSec Ransomware Hits Wendy Wu Tours (Australia) - 2025
In March 2025, the KillSec ransomware group claimed responsibility for hacking Sydney-based travel agency Wendy Wu Tours and threatened to publish stolen data. The attack resulted in the exfiltration of sensitive customer data, including scanned passports, personal addresses, and emergency contact details.
The hackers employed extortion tactics, demanding payment in exchange for deleting the stolen data while also offering it for sale to third parties. The breach also caused reputational damage, as the company’s name appeared on a darknet leak site, further amplifying the impact of the attack.
TFE Hotels Suffers Cyber Attack 2025
In early 2025, TFE Hotels, a major hospitality group, disclosed a disruptive cyberattack that severely impacted its operations. The incident led to extended downtime, with the company warning that the recovery process would take a significant amount of time.
To mitigate the impact, IT security teams engaged cyber experts to investigate the breach and restore systems. While the full extent of the damage remains unclear, the prolonged disruption suggests substantial financial and reputational consequences.
Meriton Data Breach Exposes Sensitive Employee and Guest Information 2023
In 2023, Australian property giant Meriton suffered a cyberattack that compromised sensitive personal data belonging to employees and guests. The breach exposed employees’ bank account details, tax file numbers, and salary information, putting their financial security at risk.
Additionally, employment records, including disciplinary history and performance appraisals, were accessed by unauthorized parties. Guest contact information was also compromised, and there were concerns that health-related data may have been exposed. As a precaution, nearly 1,889 individuals were advised to take protective measures following the breach.
MGM Resorts Cyberattack (2023)
In September 2023, MGM Resorts, a leading name in hospitality and entertainment, suffered a devastating cyberattack that disrupted operations for over 10 days. The attack was carried out by Scattered Spider, a cybercriminal group linked to ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware. The hackers gained access through a simple yet effective vishing (voice phishing) attack, tricking an employee into revealing login credentials.
As a result, hotel operations were crippled, affecting digital room keys, reservation systems, ATMs, and slot machines in MGM’s casinos. The financial losses exceeded $100 million due to lost revenue and remediation efforts. Additionally, the personal data of guests and employees, including driver’s licenses, passport numbers, and Social Security numbers, was exposed.
Despite the pressure, MGM Resorts refused to pay the ransom and instead opted to recover its systems using internal cybersecurity teams and external partners.
Marriott International Data Breach – 2018–2020
Marriott International suffered multiple cyberattacks that affected over 500 million guests worldwide. The breach originated in 2014 when attackers infiltrated the Starwood Hotels reservation system. Even after Marriott acquired Starwood in 2016, the attack remained undetected until 2018.
Hackers stole a vast amount of personal data, including names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, passport numbers, and payment card details. The breach had significant legal and financial repercussions, resulting in an £18.4 million fine from the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Beyond financial penalties, the incident severely damaged customer trust, leading to reputational harm. Marriott also faced multiple lawsuits and increased regulatory scrutiny in the wake of the breach.
Proactive Defense Over Reactive Response
By understanding how attackers think and operate, businesses can proactively identify security gaps before they can be exploited.
Want to ensure your business isn’t the next target? We decode the latest cyber threat intelligence and industry insights, leveraging advanced tradecraft to uncover hidden vulnerabilities. We deliver vendor-neutral, tailored solutions to mitigate and transfer cyber risks for your business.
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Disclaimer: The information provided is intended solely for educational and informational purposes. This content may include examples of cyberattack techniques, real-world incidents, and potential vulnerabilities. Under no circumstances is this information to be taken as endorsement or encouragement of illegal or malicious activities.
Threats and tactics in the cybersecurity landscape evolve rapidly. Readers should conduct their own research and seek professional consultation before taking action. Neither the authors nor the publisher accept any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage caused, directly or indirectly, by the use or misuse of the information provided. Use this material responsibly and in compliance with all applicable laws.