Nez Perce Tribe says cyberattack caused casino closures

A cyberattack caused the computer disruptions that continue to keep Clearwater River Casino and Lodge near Lewiston and It’se Ye-Ye Casino at Kamiah closed, the Nez Perce Tribe announced Friday.

A team of experts was assigned to find the cause of the computer disruption and fix the problem that closed the casinos on Oct. 8. The source of the computer disruption was an external cyberattack, Nez Perce Tribe spokeswoman Kayeloni Scott said.

“The situation is still under investigation, and the source remains to be determined,” Scott said.

While the investigation continues, the damage to the computer systems is being addressed. The attack encrypted data that was on the network, making all information inaccessible. Last week, each device was scanned and reset. Both facilities anticipate reopening Monday, but that is subject to change.

“Fortunately we were able to mitigate the severity of the impact of this malicious attack, and while this is an unfortunate occurrence, we know it is a modern-day reality for every business,” Nez Perce Tribal Enterprise Executive Officer Kermit Mankiller said Friday in a news release. “The privacy and security of our guests is a top priority, and thankfully we can confirm that there was not a data breach. We are confident that no personal information stored in our systems was shared or compromised.”

Mankiller said he guarantees the security protocols will be stronger and more sophisticated because of this.

“I would like to express my appreciation for the staff, in particular our IT team, for working tirelessly to resolve the issue as quickly as possible,” Mankiller said. “And thank you to our valued guests for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.”

Wells may be contacted at mwells@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2275.