Accesspoint Technologies – Helping to cultivate a culture of security in your law firm
When disaster strikes, the first thing that crosses anyone’s mind is, could this have been avoided?
The simple answer to this question is yes, however as we all now know, assuring a high level of security within your firm has become increasingly difficult, especially as the world continues to move in a more digitally motivated and agile direction.
Law firms remain as top targets for cyber-attacks as they hold sensitive client information and handle significant funds making the financial rewards for such attacks ever more appealing. Testament to the last 18 months we can all vouch for the fact that remote working is here to stay, so now is the time for you to revisit the ways your firm maintains a high level of security and thoroughness throughout.
Security defence starts within a law firms team. A recent survey found that 56% of senior IT technicians think their employees have picked up ‘bad cyber-security habits’ with nearly 39% admitting that their cyber-security practices at home are more relaxed than those practised in the office, due to less surveillance and a high level of correspondence. Just imagine the amount of damage that could occur if a successful attack is made on even one transaction between a client and firm, not only will sensitive data become exposed but the level of trust that any current or future clients have in the firm will instantly diminish. Keeping your team aware of the most common threats that your practice can face, such as phishing scams and data breaches along with the tactic’s used will make a huge difference – don’t assume everyone knows or understands!
Several tell-tale signs could alert a member of the team to a scam, such as email and website spoofing, malicious links and attachments, urgent subjects and calls to action and more. Keep your team clued up on the current methods and consider partnering up with a reputable legal IT specialist to provide phishing awareness training to ensure your team knows to make your firm less penetrable to unauthorised third parties. Additionally, always encourage your team to act fast and inform someone immediately if they think there has been a breach of data. On average it can take up to 279 days to identify a breach. Perhaps think of ways to create a safe and approachable workplace environment, especially with home working- it could save you from a world of trouble.
It is important to note that although cyber-criminals are not always tech-savvy geniuses, they are becoming more organised and moving from scattered attacks to more calculated hits. This is why it is vital to ensure your firm takes the necessary precautions and actions now before it’s too late. Then start thinking and planning for the future and how you can be protected further.
We’ve mentioned before that portals are the future for unmatched security and the need for this is certainly growing. They can instantly neutralise the possibility of an attack by replacing the need for emails through the secure hub designed for not only client and solicitor communication but also a multitude of other reporting and transactional features. Additionally, a fully integrated, secure, cloud-based legal platform can act as a utopia for efficiency, reporting and a network effect for your firms community as well as provide huge opportunities for change and a more secure working environment.
Explore the wide range of options available today to keep your firm safe and save your firm and its clients from disaster.
