{"id":53368,"date":"2024-03-26T18:10:09","date_gmt":"2024-03-26T18:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.n-able.com\/?p=53368"},"modified":"2024-03-27T16:27:41","modified_gmt":"2024-03-27T16:27:41","slug":"msp-lawsuit-underscores-importance-of-multi-factor-authentication-mfa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.n-able.com\/it\/blog\/msp-lawsuit-underscores-importance-of-multi-factor-authentication-mfa","title":{"rendered":"MSP Lawsuit Underscores Importance of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sacramento, CA law firm Mastagni Holstedt has alleged that its MSP LanTech LLC failed to protect it from a ransomware attack that took down its systems. According to ChannelE2E, Mastagni Holstedt is also suing LanTech\u2019s backup vendor Acronis<\/span><\/a>, which has denied any responsibility for the ransomware attack.<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll be watching to see how it all shakes out. In the meantime, let\u2019s look at what happened and what we can take away from it. Hint: multi-factor authentication matters. A lot.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

What Happened, in the Mastagni Holstedt Breach?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Mastagni Holstedt alleges that it was forced to pay an undisclosed sum to regain access to its network following a ransomware attack conducted by a threat group known as Black Basta. The incident occurred in February 2023 and the lawsuit was filed in February 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>In the lawsuit, Mastagni Holstedt claims that Lantech failed to prevent the deletion of the law firm\u2019s cloud-based backup, which would have helped it recover from the attack. Acronis has denied responsibility, stating that its systems were not compromised and suggesting that access credentials might have been compromised outside its systems.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPassword protection is the responsibility of the customer<\/span><\/a>,\u201d the company said in an email to The Sacramento Bee. \u201cAcronis has not been served with the lawsuit and will not be commenting further on this litigation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

We do not know whether multi-factor authentication (MFA) was in use at the time of the attack. However, Acronis\u2019 statement does indicate that a password was compromised. It is important to note that many backup vendors, including Acronis, do not require MFA. Instead, it is up to MSPs or even individual technicians to decide whether to use it.<\/span><\/p>\n

MFA, by definition, requires multiple steps, so it\u2019s easy to understand why an MSP or technician might turn it off (if given the option). However, MFA is an essential layer of protection against a wide variety of attacks. At Cove, we believe that password protection is simply too important to be optional. That\u2019s why MFA is required for all Cove users, as you will see in the video below:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n