Cybersecurity for Lawyers: Top Tips for Keeping Your Data Protected
Every day, your South Florida law firm risks being the target of a cyberattack. Head here to learn how to keep your firm and sensitive client data safe.
Ironically, many law firms in the Fort Lauderdale Metro area find themselves in an interesting predicament concerning cybersecurity. While South Florida legal teams work hard to build practice areas for clients who need counsel regarding cyberattack readiness, they are leaving themselves vulnerable to the very same types of attacks.
It’s no wonder that cybercriminals want to target law firms. Like many other common targets, they have the three things that cybercriminals want:
- Money
- Sensitive data
- Little to no cybersecurity protection
So, how can your firm stay protected? Here’s everything you need to know about keeping your data secure.
How Can You Keep Your Law Firm More Secure? Top 3 Steps to Full Data Protection
1. Always put cybersecurity first.
The fact of the matter is that if you don’t protect your sensitive client data, you’re not going to have clients at all. The people you represent want to know that you are a reliable law firm that will protect them at all costs. If someone looking for legal representation in South Florida hears about a breach your security, they’ll lose all faith in your ability to keep their information confidential. As a result, you’ll notice an immediate downturn in your client base overall.
Unfortunately, this has happened to numerous other law firms across the country who did not ensure a strong security management plan and paid the price. It can happen at your law firm as well if you don’t prioritize security management.
2. Create a strong disaster recovery plan. Then create a strong security management plan.
Right now, if you have not been investing in the cybersecurity of your law firm, you should speak with your managed service provider about immediately creating a disaster recovery plan. It’s the first step to take when confronting the security of your sensitive data because it addresses an immediate issue: If you were to have your data stolen or compromised right now, what would you do?
If you don’t have an answer, it’s time to make a disaster recovery plan. This starts with ensuring you have a comprehensive backup of all of your data, which is stored in the cloud. Companies who offer IT services for law firms can help you carry out the rest of the necessary recovery plan steps. From there, they’ll help you create a prevention plan that will ideally completely prevent cybersecurity attacks or breaches so that your disaster recovery plan never has to be used in the first place.
3. Train your team in cybersecurity prevention.
Part of any strong cybersecurity prevention plan is so important that it deserves its own section: Employee training.
Everyone who works at your legal firm needs to know what to look for when it comes to possible cybersecurity breaches. This is because inevitably, a large chunk of serious breaches across the nation originate with individual employees. Your managed service provider can help create a training program that will educate your team on what to look for regarding phishing emails, how to spot unusual activity on their computers or mobile devices, and steps to take if they are uncertain about anything suspicious that could lead to a breach.
Looking for IT Services for Law Firms in the Fort Lauderdale Metro and South Florida Area?
If your law firm is searching for a managed service provider who can assist you with cybersecurity protection measures, contact Palindrome Consulting today! A partnership with us will provide your firm with the adequate measures you need to keep cyberattacks at bay. We offer live, remote support to make it easy for you and your team to stay protected. Contact Palindrome Consulting to find out more.