Cybersecurity Concerns Facing Small Law Offices In 2019

Cybersecurity has never been more important to law firms. After all, you deal with clients’ sensitive personal and financial information as well as details about their legal cases that those who mean them harm would love to have. The problem is that most lawyers aren’t IT experts. Sure, you’re great in a courtroom or negotiating a settlement on behalf of your client. But few good attorneys have the expertise or the time and energy at the end of the day to make sure that their computer files are impervious to increasingly savvy cybercriminals. That’s why having a reliable IT partner is so important.

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Understand The Cybersecurity Concerns Facing Small Law Offices In 2019

Keeping your computer files safe is an ongoing process; it’s not something that you do once and then moves on to the next task. But, how much attention to cybersecurity is enough to be deemed a reasonable effort? It might be useful to see what other small firms are doing.

According to a recent study by the American Bar Association (ABA):

  • 75% are using some anti-virus software.
  • 58% of responding firms are using a firewall or anti-phishing software.
  • 33% are using email encryption software.
  • 25% are using device encryption software.
  • 17% have some directory security in place.
  • 25% have an employee training program involving cybersecurity.

Some firms, particularly those who use Macintosh computers, admitted to not using any measures to protect their digital files. Of those that did spend resources last year to beef up their cybersecurity, the majority (55%) said they did so to meet their fiduciary responsibilities.

Consider These Things When Developing A Cybersecurity Protocol

1. Vendor Security. According to the American Bar Association, one of the top vulnerable places for law firms is the cybersecurity of their vendors. They see firms “increasingly writing language into contracts that require suppliers and vendors to take minimum specific measures to protect data.” This is in response to some massive industry hacks that have been linked to poor cybersecurity in supplier networks with links into the attacked company.

2. Email Security. Email correspondence continues to be an Achilles heel for most law firms. An entry-level staff member opening an attachment with a virus or other malicious code can potentially infect the entire firm’s database. Interestingly, while 75 percent of respondents in the ABA survey viewed emails as a potential threat, only 58 percent have a program in place to protect against such a threat.

Beef Up Your Firm’s Cybersecurity

The ABA ranked the average small law firms cybersecurity procedures and protocols, and found that they are only at 3.5 out of 10. More effort is needed in this area to protect your sensitive data adequately. It’s not overly dramatic to say that a data breach could threaten the very existence of your firm.

No lawyer should be expected to be an IT expert. You have clients and employees to concentrate on, not to mention spending time with your family. That’s where a dependable IT partner can be invaluable. You need more than just computer technicians; you need IT professionals who know and understand the unique security concerns of law firms. Cybercriminals are always upping their game and developing new ways to compromise your data. You need a diligent company that can match this challenge and stop such threats before they even develop.

At Radius Executive IT Solutions, we take a somewhat different approach to IT solutions. We understand that every law firm is unique. That’s why we begin by getting to know you, your firm and your goals and dreams for the future. We don’t recommend any product or course of action until we’ve taken the time to learn about your specific needs. One of our strengths is our relationship-driven approach to IT solutions.

We’ll help you develop a cybersecurity package that is virtually impenetrable to hackers. We’ll include not just work on your office computers, but also your mobile devices, your cloud apps and storage, and your contracts with those potentially vulnerable third-party vendors. We understand that leaving any vulnerabilities puts your entire system at risk.

Radius Executive IT Solutions in Stoneham, MA, can protect your law firm from cyberattacks. Schedule an appointment for a complimentary IT security assessment by calling (978) 528-0110 or emailing us at info@radiusits.com.

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