Supply chain attacks are turning MSP access into a weapon | news

Supply chain attacks have become one of the most feared threats in cybersecurity, particularly for managed service providers (MSPs). According to reporting by Smarter MSP, these attacks leverage a vendor's privileged access to breach multiple client environments, making MSPs both high-value targets and potential pathways for attackers.

Supply chain attacks are particularly dangerous because compromising a single MSP can grant attackers access to dozens or even hundreds of client networks. This was exemplified by the 2021 Kaseya breach, which impacted approximately 60 MSPs and up to 1,500 customers.

Attackers often exploit vulnerabilities in RMM, backup, or identity management tools used by MSPs. Once inside an MSP's systems, attackers can use trusted connections to deploy malware or ransomware to client endpoints, often undetected due to the inherent trust placed in the MSP. Weaknesses such as missing multi-factor authentication, shared administrator accounts, and inadequate logging on the MSP side exacerbate the risk, widening the potential blast radius of an attack.

Experts emphasize that MSPs must move beyond simple vendor questionnaires and implement rigorous, ongoing vendor risk management processes, including scrutinizing vendor privilege models, breach notification obligations, and access control mechanisms to effectively mitigate these systemic threats.

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