We’ve all experienced a rapid shift to remote work; however Lawyers and their firms are potentially more exposed to the threat of Cyber criminals due to the sensitive data they hold. Therefore, Cyber security is a paramount concern for these professionals.
Unsecured networks and accessing information on insecure home devices and having to share data all online, have left law firms with huge gaps in security which allows hackers to exploit.
The legal sector has certainly experienced a serious increase in cybercrime. It was reported last month that global law firm Jones Day had 100 gigabytes of data stolen, with some of it appearing on the dark web, after a third party that provided it with file transfer software was hacked.
As law firms handle such sensitive data, they are a highly attractive proposition for cyber hackers due to the high volume of sensitive and private information and also due to the fact that they handle huge amounts of data.
What are the most common threats in cyber security for law firms?
Malware is not new, but it keeps evolving with ransomware being the most popular particularly when cyber thieves are targeting law firms. This is because ransomware prevents access to databases, documents and files. Cyber criminals then proceed to blackmail firms in the hope to extort money from them.
Reputations can be ruined by such an attack as sensitive client information, however even in Law firms succumb and pay the ransom, cybercriminals often continue to blackmail, so lawyers really do need to consider the cyber security they have before it even gets to that stage.
How Law firms can protect against cybercrime
Thankfully, there are several things you can implement in your law firm to ensure you have the cyber security you need.
Implement VPN and Ant-virus
Anti-virus will identify malware and notify you before it can cause your business any damage. You could use a free ante-virus, but it will lack several crucial features, so ideally your business should consider working with a managed IT Services team to ensure you are fully protected and any threats removed.
Ensuring your teams are using VPN is also an excellent idea. VPN can encrypt your data which is impossible for cyber attackers to hack. By everyone using VPN, it adds an extra layer of protection.
Consider using Managed IT Services
You should approach Cyber security the same way your clients consider using your law services. Your clients choose you as experts in law, so you should consider using managed IT Services as they are the experts you need to protect your data. Your job is to focus on providing legal support, so by adding specialists in cyber security would be exceedingly beneficial.
Managed IT Services will secure your data
Managed IT Specialists can help secure your data, educate your employees on how to minimise possible security breaches, and manage your law firm’s cybersecurity. By ensuring your law firm has a team of professionals in IT Services maintaining your cyber security will ultimately ensure that your business is protected and will long-term save you money.
Your Cyber Security specialist will help you with an action plan
Even with measures implemented for your cyber security, you still need to have an action plan should a cyber-attack occur. Your Cyber Security specialists will support you with that plan, however, being highly organised is key. Knowing what to do if your clients data is hacked will minimise risk and protect your law firm’s clients and ultimately, your reputation.
Should you need support in your firm to protect your data, then do contact Mode today.
Managed IT Specialists can help secure your data, educate your employees on how to minimise possible security breaches, and manage your law firm's cybersecurity.
