Ransomware Attack on Law Firm LAWRENCED ROHLFING, INC. CPC

On February 24, 2023, the law firm Mastagni Holstedt, a prominent Sacramento, California law firm, experienced a major outage of its servers and computer network, which resulted in the loss of access to its servers and data. The attack was attributed to the ransomware group Black Basta, a Russian-speaking group that has been detected since early 2023.

Victim Profile

LAWRENCED.ROHLFING,INC.CPC is a law firm that specializes in Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims, representing claimants before the Social Security Administration (SSA) at all phases of the claims process, including initial applications and appeals. The firm has 17 people on its staff, including seven lawyers, with an average staff member having 15 years of experience. They are small enough to provide personalized representation but large enough to handle cases in federal court.

Vulnerabilities and Impact

The attack on Mastagni Holstedt highlights the importance of robust cybersecurity measures for law firms, particularly those handling sensitive client data. The ransomware attack forced the law firm to pay a ransom to regain access to its data. The incident underscores the need for law firms to ensure that their managed service providers (MSPs) have adequate cybersecurity protections in place to prevent such attacks.

Legal Action

In response to the attack, Mastagni Holstedt filed a lawsuit against LanTech LLC, a Sacramento-based MSP, alleging that it failed to protect the law firm from the ransomware attack. The lawsuit seeks more than $1 million in damages.

The ransomware attack on Mastagni Holstedt serves as a reminder of the importance of robust cybersecurity measures for law firms, particularly those handling sensitive client data. The incident also highlights the potential legal and financial consequences of failing to adequately protect against such attacks.

Sources

• Lawrence Rohlfing, "California Social Security Disability Attorneys | California SSDI Benefits Lawyers | San Diego CA SSI Law Office," www.californiasocialsecurityattorney.com
• MSSP Alert, "MSP Sued By Law Firm After Ransomware Attack," msspalert.com
• Sam Stanton, "Sacramento law firm targeted in ransomware attack sues for $1 million," sacbee.com