Protect Your Legal Firm From Cyber Attacks

If you have a law firm, there is a good chance that your practice has been affected by one or more cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks are becoming more common because many criminals and foreign states seek firms with weak security measures to steal sensitive data and information. Here are some ways how to protect your legal firm from cyber-attacks.

#1: Access Control and Authentication

The first step in protecting your firm from cyber-attacks is to enforce password policies. Generally, all employees must use strong passwords and strict access settings for certain computer systems. In addition, ensure that all the computer systems within your firm are adequately protected with up-to-date firewalls and virus protection software.

#2: Strong Network Infrastructure

Protecting your firm's network infrastructure is critical. Many cyber-attacks are started by hackers connecting to open WiFi networks. Therefore, you must install an encrypted VPN (Virtual Private Network) that allows you to access your firm's network remotely from a remote location. For example, you could use the firm's website or mobile app for certain transactions and switch to a secure VPN connection for sensitive data transfers.

#3: Perform a Cybersecurity Audit

A cybersecurity audit is a method of analyzing your computer systems to assess any possible vulnerabilities. You should perform a regular audit by using an outside firm or team of IT specialists to examine your network and computer systems for any vulnerabilities that need to be closed. A cybersecurity audit will allow you to identify potential cyber-attacks before they happen, and then you can minimize the damage.

#4 Establish IT Governance

You should also establish an IT governance plan that identifies the responsibilities for all IT activities within your firm. It would help if you had a clear understanding of who is responsible for each aspect of security. This plan should be updated frequently and adhered to as new threats emerge. Also, each employee should be made aware of the responsibilities of their specific department in your firm.

#5: Protect your Data with Encryption

Encrypting data is the best method for protecting your firm's digital information from cyber-attacks. Encrypt your data before sending it to remote locations or other individuals. You can also use encryption to protect the data stored on your computer system or local network.

Even if your firm is protected, you must be aware that you cannot guarantee that your security measures will protect your firm from cyber-attacks. Therefore, you should implement other legal firm cybersecurity security measures, including anti-virus software, secure passwords, and regular cybersecurity audits.