The Importance of Cyber Security for Law Firms
Few industries handle as much sensitive material on a daily basis as the legal vertical—or have as much to lose if a cyber attack occurs. Law firms are becoming increasingly reliant on technology, and hackers are only growing more sophisticated in their methods of attack. If your cyber security is not up to the challenge of keeping them out, you leave your firm—and your clients—at risk.
Any cyber attack, regardless of magnitude, is worrisome. A large-scale breach can be devastating. If your firm’s computer systems are damaged or disabled for even a day, the resulting loss in revenue and productivity may be massive. Worse, a single hacked email account has the potential to reveal a plethora of confidential information pertaining to hundreds, if not thousands, of clients. If a firm proves itself incapable of protecting its network and data, clients will not trust it to handle their business.
In 2016, the “Panama Papers” document leak at Mossack Fonseca demonstrated just how destructive a breach could be. Through a hack in the firm’s email server, millions of sensitive documents were leaked. The private financial information of hundreds of high-profile clients was revealed, resulting in embarrassment for many—especially the firm. What went wrong? In addition to using outdated software, Mossack Fonseca was not encrypting its emails. The firm left itself vulnerable, and put its clients’ private data at risk.
Failure to protect client information can permanently damage your firm’s reputation. A firewall and basic antivirus software are not enough to keep sensitive data safe from threats. Demonstrating to your clients that you take IT security seriously will ease their minds, and yours—and is justification enough for a proactive approach.
The importance of email encryption and other security measures to the legal industry cannot be downplayed. You may find clients specifically request these measures, and many will not work with you if your network isn’t absolutely secure. If your security measures are not up to scratch, you will see clients migrating to other firms that can provide adequate protection. The time to seek guidance is now.
Cyber Security for Law Firms with eMazzanti Technologies
At eMazzanti, we provide managed network security services for the legal vertical and beyond. We can inform you about best practices, industry standards, and most importantly how to keep your cyber security up to date to prevent any potential threats—and ensure your network is secure and reliable.
Carl Mazzanti is Co-Founder and President of eMazzanti Technologies, Microsoft’s four time Partner of the Year and one of the premier IT consulting services for businesses throughout the New York metropolitan area and internationally. Carl and his company manage over 400 active accounts ranging from professional services firms to high-end global retailers.
eMazzanti is all about delivering powerful, efficient outsourced IT services, such as computer network management and troubleshooting, managed print, PCI DSS compliance, green computing, mobile workforce technology, information security, cloud computing, and business continuity and disaster recovery.
Carl Mazzanti is also a frequent business conference speaker and technology talk show guest and contributor at Microsoft-focused events, including frequent prominent roles at the Microsoft Inspire (Worldwide Partner Conference / WPC).
Carl, a serial Entrepreneur, gives back to the community through Entrepreneur teaching engagements at Georgetown University, the company’s ocean wildlife conservation effort, the Blue Project, and Tree Mazzanti.
