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Cyber Crime Now Targeting Law Firms

By Collin Hite
September 02, 2017

Cyber attacks and theft are on the rise around the country, and law firms are becoming prime targets. Similar to healthcare providers, a law firm's data (i.e., client files) can be the gold standard. Unlike manufacturers, banks and retailers, law firms are unique organizations that are highly vulnerable.

Why Firms Are Vulnerable

Sophisticated hackers no longer try to penetrate outer defenses, such as firewalls, as a matter of practice. Instead, they target individual workstations through social engineering, and hope a careless or unsuspecting employee will open the fake email. If opened, the fraudulent email allows the hacker into the network. As usual, the human element is often the weak link in the defenses employed by law firms. Most firms allow almost every employee (including contract ones) within the organization access to client data, regardless of sensitivity or the need for such broad access. Almost every employee has a computer connected to the firm network and the Internet. All employees are given great latitude to access the Internet and personal email through the firm's computers. In addition, law firms utilize a large amount of mobile technology. Regardless of type, most technology within the firms is not encrypted. Wire transfers are routine for law firms and are enticing to criminals.

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