Cybersecurity for Law Firms

According to the 2021 Verizon Report, phishing is responsible for 36% of breaches.

These attacks often come in the form of deceptive emails, purporting to be from legitimate sources and find most success with untrained employees.

They aim to extract sensitive information such as login credentials or personal client details. Law firms, with their wealth of confidential data, are particularly attractive for phishers.

A managed IT provider can help train your employees to avoid these slipups, and if they happen anyway, they can help you recover your data and build the firewall back up.

The impact of such attacks can range from financial loss to severe damage to the firm’s reputation.

These can occur when employees or contractors misuse their access to firm resources. This might be due to malicious intent, such as stealing client information, or simply carelessness, like falling for phishing scams.

These breaches can occur due to external hacking attempts or internal security lapses.

The consequences include legal liabilities, financial penalties, and loss of client trust. Breaches can result from weak security protocols, unpatched software vulnerabilities, or inadequate network security.

Managed cloud services can help keep these from happening by hosting your software on servers that are more secure than what you could have in office.

These are prolonged and targeted cyberattacks in which an intruder gains access to a network and remains undetected for an extended period.

APTs can be particularly damaging as they allow continuous access to sensitive information.

This type of malware encrypts a victim's data, holding it hostage until a ransom is paid.

For law firms, the implications are dire: lost access to critical files can halt legal proceedings and compromise sensitive cases.

Even if the ransom is paid, there’s no guarantee that the data will be fully recovered.

Having knowledgeable IT support can come in handy if you ever find yourself in this situation, as well as work to keep it from happening in the first place.

Regular assessments help identify vulnerabilities in the firm’s IT infrastructure.

These assessments should include checking for potential threats, evaluating the effectiveness of current security measures, and identifying areas for improvement.

A robust policy sets the standard for data handling and security within the firm.

It should cover aspects like data encryption, secure file sharing, and incident reporting protocols.

According to the ABA, only 42% of respondents have an incident response plan, and the smaller the firm, the less likely they are to have an incident response plan.

Strong, unique passwords and the use of MFA add layers of security.

MFA requires users to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to resources, reducing the likelihood of unauthorized access.

Human error remains one of the biggest cybersecurity risks.

Regular training sessions can educate employees about the latest cyber threats, phishing scams, and safe internet practices. Emphasizing the importance of strong passwords and the dangers of using unsecured networks is critical.

According to the ABA, training is significantly less available at smaller law firms than larger law firms.

Keeping all software and systems up to date with the latest security patches is vital.

Outdated software can have vulnerabilities that are easily exploited by cybercriminals.

If you decide to outsource your IT or software hosting, your provider may offer these updates as part of their services.

Ensure that the firm’s Wi-Fi network is secure, encrypted, and hidden. Educate employees on the risks of using public Wi-Fi for work-related tasks.

Encrypt sensitive data both in transit and at rest. This ensures that even if data is intercepted or accessed by unauthorized persons, it remains unreadable.

The ABA Survey reported that 49% of respondents utilize file encryption. This number is way too low for such an important method of cybersecurity.

Assess the cybersecurity measures of third-party vendors.

Ensure they comply with the firm's cybersecurity standards, especially those who handle sensitive information.

Maintaining your own servers in-house increases your risk of a data breach since you're responsible for properly maintaining and protecting servers.

Oftentimes, we find that law firms keep their servers unprotected in some closet or copy room. What could go wrong?

Beyond data insecurity, you could also face server failure.

Server failures not only disrupt daily operations but can also lead to the loss of crucial legal documents and client information.

For example, take a look at the chart below to understand what server ownership means for your firm over the course of the next 7 years.

As you can see, not only do servers require a substantial upfront investment, but the frequency of server failure starts at 5% and increases with each year. At the 4-year mark, the chance of failure more than doubles and nears 20% by the 7th year.

For becoming serverless, we recommend either opting for cloud-based software or finding a cloud-host, such as Uptime Practice, to store and manage your server-based software on your behalf.

Regular backups and a solid disaster recovery plan ensure that in the event of a data breach or loss, the firm can quickly restore lost data and maintain business continuity.

This is a specialty of managed service providers.

Efficient and timely IT support is crucial for addressing and mitigating cybersecurity threats.

The absence of reliable IT support can leave a law firm vulnerable to ongoing attacks and unable to quickly respond to and recover from incidents. This delay can exacerbate the impact of cyber threats, leading to greater data loss and reputational damage.

Take a look at the flow chart below to understand the process you would have to go through each time you need new software, new servers, updates, or general support.

However, if you decide to pursue a cloud-hosted solution, your setup process is simpler and your IT support is both easily and readily available.

Continuous vigilance is key in cybersecurity.

IT support provides round-the-clock monitoring for threats and performance issues, ensuring the cloud environment remains secure and efficient.

Keeping systems updated is critical in closing security gaps.

Regular software updates and system maintenance by IT support ensure the infrastructure is not just current but also resilient against new threats.

Rapid response to technical issues is vital.

IT support offers on-demand assistance, quickly resolving problems to minimize operational disruptions.

Empowering staff through training sessions on cloud services and basic troubleshooting enhances the overall security posture.

Well-informed employees are less likely to fall prey to cyber threats.

Effective data management, including routine backups and recovery plans, is crucial.

IT support ensures data integrity and availability, even in the event of a cyber incident.

Law firms have unique IT needs.

IT support assists in customizing cloud services and scaling resources to match the firm's evolving demands.

Navigating the complex web of legal regulations is challenging.

IT support plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with relevant laws and standards, a vital aspect for law firms.