Cybersecurity

A survey of 200 U.S. firms found that many law firms are unprepared for cyber attacks, and it's hurting their standing with clients.

The cloud might seem like “someone else's servers,” but major vendors are sensitive to the business need for security, availability and confidentiality. With sensitive, high-value data like that, cloud providers are keenly aware they need to get security right.

Until May 12, 2017, the more highly publicized ransomware incidents were localized targets impacting only one or a small number of businesses. WannaCry made it clear that ransomware could reach a broad cross-section of computers worldwide, at essentially the same time. There are very few, if any, businesses that can safely say they are not targets for cyber-criminals, because at the very least, businesses have personnel records for their employees.

The ransomware attack on June 27 on DLA Piper sounded an alarm for Big Law. The world's biggest firms are just as prone to ransomware attacks as any other company, and the potential ramifications of a network-crippling malware infection are wide-ranging for a service industry that holds the legal fate of corporations in its palm.

Part One of a Two-Part Article

We often associate cyber-risks with financial institutions, but while the financial sector certainly does deal with cyber-risks, it is by no means the only industry facing such woes. Health care providers are also vulnerable to cyber-liability risks.

Following the May 2017 WannaCry ransomware infiltration into over 10,000 organizations and individuals in over 150 countries, it is clear that businesses across industries have no choice but to spend time and resources digesting and culling through the cybersecurity information barrage.

By now, every managing partner has heard the warning: Law firms and their clients' sensitive information are a treasure trove for hackers.But the ransomware…

A Trend Is Emerging

The Central District of California recently joined the small growing list of courts that have held forensic reports created by outside security companies following a data breach are protected from disclosure in civil litigation in certain circumstances.