by Dan Pinnington

Cybercrime is a real and present danger for law firms. All firms should work to understand the cybercrime risks they are exposed to and take steps to reduce the likelihood they will experience a data breach at the hands of cyber criminals. How prepared are you?

To assess your cybercrime preparedness, see if you can answer the following questions:

  • Are your passwords secure enough?
  • Would you or your staff be duped by a phishing message?
  • How would your firm respond if one of its servers was hacked?
  • Is your anti-malware software the most current version and is it updated?
  • Could you tell if your computer had malware on it?
  • Are your computer’s security settings adequate?
  • Is there a backdoor into your network?
  • What would happen if a firm laptop or smartphone were lost or stolen?
  • How would you deal with a major data theft by an ex-employee?
  • Is your home computer safe?

The future of your practice could well rely on how well you address cybercrime risks. The December 2013 issue of LAWPRO Magazine reviews the specific cybercrime dangers law firms need to be concerned about, and how they can mitigate their risks