by Sharon Jones
According to a survey run by the American Bar Association regarding Legal Technology, 22% of law firms got hacked in 2017. The alarming figure reveals an increase in cyberattack and data breach situations. As a lawyer, the last thing you want is to inform your clients that you’ve suffered a data breach, as this can dramatically affect your relationship with them. In the case of a law firm, the most serious consequence of a security attack is unauthorized access to confidential and sensitive data. The good news, however, is that for solo lawyers, the risk of being hacked in less than 10%. In comparison, larger firms are more likely to be targeted. In fact, the risk of hacking increases exponentially with the size of the firm, with over one-third of firms with 10 to 49 attorneys reporting frequent attacks.
As professional liability policies fail to cover hacking damages, law firms need to invest in additional cyber liability insurance to protect their businesses. There’s only one question remaining for attorneys: What makes their business hackable in the first place?
How hackable is your law firm?
They fail to keep their IT system updated
Hackers are by far the most innovative technicians online. They constantly work to discover vulnerabilities in your IT solutions. Old devices, especially, are a preferred target as they often lack the necessary security upgrade you need to keep your data secure. If you want to prevent your team from falling into the traps of an insecure network and equipment, you need to consider new options. You can collaborate through the cloud which eliminates the risks of a network breach. Many law firms fall behind their system upgrade schedules and make themselves vulnerable to cyber attacks. As it can be challenging to update your hardware, software every few years to avoid risks of a breach, it’s easy to understand why many mid-size firms can become easy targets.
Clients are not trained to recognize harmful content
A lawyer’s mailbox is a busy environment. As lawyers often work on many cases at the same time, they maintain contact with their clients through emails, informing them of the progression of the case and asking for information. As it happens, while your team might be educated about potentially risky emails, your clients are more likely to commit a security faux-pas and expose the law firms to a cyber attack. Indeed, a client who’s unknowingly downloaded a corrupted file through their browsing could affect your business by attaching the same file in an email, for instance. For lawyers, it’s essential to organize your mailbox and filter out potentially harmful emails before these can be open. Most mailboxes let you create a custom filter strategy, helping you to clear out your inbox.
They work on the go
Attorneys rarely stay in the office. They go out to meet clients, go to court, etc. As a result, their device is exposed to external risks, such as hackers using the airdrop function to gain access to your files. Similarly, tapping into an unsecured WiFi network or using a corrupted USB key are common risks when you work on the go.
Law firms are a preferred target for hackers because they deal with plenty of sensitive data. Unfortunately, your cyber liability insurance can only go so far. Clients who've been hit by a cyber attack are less likely to trust your firm in the future. The bottom line is to be vigilant at all times!