Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Third Circuit Weighs Novel Cybersecurity Case

By Saranac Hale Spencer
April 02, 2015

Five years ago, Russian hackers broke into the Wyndham Hotels computer network and stole the credit card information for thousands of customers, a security breach that has now put the novel question of whether the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) can sue a company for failing to properly secure its data in front of the Third Circuit.

After the FTC filed a suit against the hotel chain, invoking its authority under federal law to patrol unfair business practices, Wyndham responded that its cybersecurity system is outside the realm of the FTC's regulatory reach. Beyond that, Wyndham argued, the FTC hadn't given notice about what the law would require with regard to corporate data-security practices.

Wyndham lost its motion to dismiss in the District of New Jersey and filed an interlocutory appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Read These Next
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws Image

This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.

Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin Image

With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.

The Article 8 Opt In Image

The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.

Removing Restrictive Covenants In New York Image

In Rockwell v. Despart, the New York Supreme Court, Third Department, recently revisited a recurring question: When may a landowner seek judicial removal of a covenant restricting use of her land?

The Benefits of Blockchain for e-Discovery and Data Preservation Image

As businesses across various industries increasingly adopt blockchain, it will become a critical source of discoverable electronically stored information. The potential benefits of blockchain for e-discovery and data preservation are substantial, making it an area of growing interest and importance.