When they consult an attorney, clients are sure their personal information, such as names, addresses, telephone, ID, and even credit card numbers, is safe and sound. However, the fact that law firms deal with so much sensitive data makes them real tidbits for hackers.
In 2023, according to the ABA Cybersecurity Report, 29% of law firms experienced a security breach. More than that, during the last year, this figure increased despite all the protective measures. Loss of information, damaged documents, client churn, legal issues, and destroyed reputation are just a few consequences of a data breach for a legal firm. However, these can be prevented with a few effective tools and the right managerial decisions.
Common Security Risks for Legal Firms
Legal firm employees can become victims of cyberattacks, even performing their daily tasks, like answering emails or searching for information on the internet. More than that, the consequences of such attacks can become vivid in days or even weeks after the villains have already stolen all the information they wanted. Therefore, every person working at a legal firm should be aware of typical security threats they may face:
Phishing
Hackers send fraudulent emails that seem to come from legitimate sources that require urgent action. For instance, an email may claim that someone is trying to get access to the firm’s digital cloud, where all important documents are stored, and ask the receiver to follow a certain website address to protect the cloud. When clicked or replied to, this email gives the hackers access to confidential information of the firm, such as financial data and even personal profiles of all clients.
Malware attacks
They occur when special software infiltrates the law firm’s computer systems, and the user doesn’t know about it. Hackers often use seemingly harmless attachments or software downloads that embed malware. For instance, a lawyer may download a PDF file with the text of a particular law, but the file contains a virus.
DDoS attacks
A distributed denial of service attack overloads a law firm’s website with traffic as if thousands of users try to access it simultaneously. As a result, the website slows down or even stops working. While the firm is trying to restore the service, hackers infiltrate the network and access sensitive data.
Ransomware
With the help of a special program, hackers lock the legal firm’s system or data until a ransom is paid. This program gets into the system through malicious links or email attachments, encrypts the firm’s files, and makes them inaccessible.
MFA bypassing
Hackers use special proxy servers to intercept MFA tokens and retrieve the required authentication codes. In such a way, they can overcome the protection provided by one-time codes and biometrics.
Infected QR codes
When scanned, they direct the user to a malicious website or download malware onto the device. For instance, one of the law firm’s employees can scan such a code expecting to get to a government website but, instead, download harmful software on the computer that contains clients’ sensitive data.
Vishing
Hackers can pretend they are tech support specialists from a known organization and persuade a person to provide them with confidential information that can be used to access sensitive systems or data. For instance, they may call the law firm’s administrator, tell them they are from the internet provider, and ask the administrator for a login and password to the user’s cabinet. After they get it, they may track the employees’ actions online.
How Can a Law Firm Protect Its Data?
Each of the attacks mentioned above can expose the reputation of your law firm to threats, not only the security and well-being of its clients. Therefore, every employee, from a receptionist to a CEO, should know the principles of cybersecurity.
You can hire a data security specialist who would take care of all the necessary protective measures, but it still won’t be effective if other workers ignore the basic rules of cybersecurity. Here are a few steps a law firm manager can take to ensure all the sensitive information is in safe hands:
Create a data security policy
It is a set of regulations that covers the key dos and don’ts of cybersecurity for the staff. In particular, every employee should know that they are not allowed to install programs and apps that are not approved by the security specialist, even if they think this software would be very helpful for their work. They also may not share their passwords and logins with anyone or download files from unreliable websites.
Train staff
Organize lectures and provide materials on the rules of cybersecurity to all your law firm employees. Everyone working with sensitive data should be aware of how they can protect it.
Rely on strong passwords
A long, complicated password is still one of the most effective tools that can protect sensitive data. Even if hackers manage to get into any program on the computer by finding the right password, they won’t be able to reach others quickly.
Use encryption
It is an algorithm that turns any information, like emails, chats, and documents, into a special code. In such a way, if your data falls into the wrong hands, it would be indecipherable.
Limit access control for employees
Every member of the staff has their zone of professional responsibility, which means they do not necessarily need access to all files and information the legal firm has. Limiting their access to the files they don’t need is a great way to protect these documents from unwelcome intrusion.
Update software on time
Companies creating software track all new forms of cybersecurity attacks and make changes in their programs to make them less vulnerable. In such a way, by keeping all software updated, you can protect your legal firm from cyber threats.
Implement an intrusion detection system
It is a special program that serves as an alarm signal after suspicious activity in the computer system of the law firm is registered. It informs the user and the cybersecurity specialist that additional measures should be taken immediately to protect sensitive data.
Establish a reliable backup system
To make sure no file gets destroyed by a malicious virus, every law firm should have an effective backup system that allows it to restore all lost data within hours.
Organize security checks
Regularly check the whole computer system for viruses and potentially harmful files or applications. During such audits, you can define the gaps in the data security system of your law firm and fix them before a problem occurs.
Have an emergency plan
No matter how diligently all employees of the law firm follow the rules of cybersecurity, emergencies can happen. Viruses and malware are so sophisticated nowadays that even experienced specialists and the best firewall programs can fail to notice them. In these cases, your firm should have a clear plan of action that should be followed immediately after a data breach occurs. For instance, all employees should change their passwords, send reports to software providers, and back up all the lost information in a safe mode.
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Best Software for Secure Workflow in Legal Firms
One of the best ways to protect your law firm from data leakage and hacker attacks is to use reliable and authorized software for work. We have gathered a list of the top six workflow software programs that would help your firm’s employees organize and complete their daily tasks comfortably and safely:
Lawrina is a reliable legal tech platform that offers more than 200 legal templates for personal, business, and real estate matters. It functions by the highest standards of data safety and encryption so that its users should not worry whether their data is in safe hands. To learn more about the legal forms and how to draft a document in a few minutes, check the Lawrina website.
Clio is a software that provides features for legal case management, client intake, and billing. The program protects your files with complex encryption and monitors your data safety 24 /7.
MyCase offers features like case management, billing, and client communication. It provides secure, high-level encryption for all data and adheres to the best standards and practices for data protection, making it an excellent choice for a secure workflow.
Zola Suite has tools for document management, billing, and more. The program protects data with two-factor authentication, data encryption, and regular automated backups.
PracticePanther’s security framework protects data with 256-bit encryption and customizable user access roles. This cloud-based legal management software can help lawyers manage cases, track working hours, and communicate with clients.
Casepeer is a perfect solution for small law firms. The program has secure chats and uses document encryption that guarantees no sensitive information will be stolen.
Final Word
Data security should be one of the major priorities for any legal firm. Dealing with sensitive client information is a huge responsibility every employee must take. Luckily, modern software, including that for workflow organization, has embedded data protection tools that sort out potentially harmful files and programs and block them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a security breach and how does it impact a legal firm?
It occurs when a third party gains unauthorized access to the firm’s confidential data. The intruder can steal files, delete important information, or damage documents.
How can legal firms protect themselves from cyberattacks?
They should create an effective security policy, encrypt data, keep all software up-to-date, and establish a reliable backup system that would restore all the lost files if an emergency occurs.
What are the best software tools that legal firms can use for a secure workflow?
Some top-rated programs that meet high data safety and encryption standards include Lawrina, Clio, MyCase, Zola Suite, PracticePanther, and Casepeer.
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