By Zilan Keskin
Cyber security, more specifically, the proliferation of cyber-attacks, have been a focal conversational topic in the legal sector over the past couple of years. Particularly with the advent of remote working and digitalisation, the threat of cyber-attacks has become ever more significant. There has been a clear success of multiple technological disciplines throughout business and law, taking the form of digital integration and automation. Naturally, with these welfare enhancing technologies, the cyber security threats have evolved with the same exponential scope.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Cybercrime is now more than ever a growing concern for all businesses across every industry, but even more so for those who operate in vulnerable quarters, such as law firms. There are huge volumes of data, sensitive information, financial responsibility and authority within the legal sector- with law firms specialising in corporate and property law most at risk. The greater risk for these practices stem from the greater financial gain that can benefit cybercriminals. The exponentially increased use of software and digital services with asymmetrical distribution of security measures, have inherent major economic threats. With cybercriminals more difficult to track and trace than other criminals, legal technology has provided methods of reducing and even eradicating incoming threats as they arise.
WHERE DOES LEGAL TECH COME IN?
Legal tech not only ensures that cybersecurity measures are acknowledged, it also provides practical methods for implementing security controls to restrict the number of people that can access firm and client-specific documents. Some methods used include: keeping software up to date, providing security training and overall, securing the company’s infrastructure. When it comes to mitigating security breach risks, law firms cannot solely place the burden on the shoulders of their employees, as cyberattacks are known for often taking larger scales. Legal tech can provide a greater meaningful approach to bring a level of sophistication to current cyber strategies that is needed to keep today’s threats at bay. Whilst the legal sector’s adoption of cloud-based programs has brought a significant deal of commercial and operational benefits to the sector, it has also increased the means by which cyber criminals can attack surfaces and target law firms.
RECENT CYBER-ATTACKS
In May 2020, it was reported by Law.com that at least seven law firms had been infiltrated by ransomware launched by cybercriminals. Double-extortion was used by these cybercriminals, which is a relatively new attack method that legal tech consultants have the means of explaining and exposing to law firms. A simple definition of double-extortion notes that cybercriminals are now threatening to leak or auction off company secrets and confidential information, consequently forcing the victim companies to pay into the hands of cybercriminals to eliminate prospects of this attack.
Recent statistics exposed that more than 1000 companies had their data leaked after not giving into ransomware demands during 2020, which is a trend that will accelerate throughout 2021 without effective action. These cyber security challenges were amplified by Covid-19 expectedly, which is likely to persist considering the current pandemic climate. Nonetheless, legal tech can ensure trends of cyberattacks are analysed and detected early on in order to empower partners and help the IT community prepare for impending threats.
THE INTERFACEAs a result of the growing cybersecurity breaches within the legal sector, data and email encryption became an important aspect of legal tech in 2020. Legal tech provides that the best solution for minimising these breaches would be lawyers backing up their files on separate servers that is not accessible via office internet network in order to ensure an uncompromised backup. The major cyber security paradox is something that legal tech can evidently tailor its expertise to, throughout the legal sector. Legal tech is overtly linked to cybersecurity due to the nature of digitalisation growth throughout the working world. Legal tech recognises solutions that can eliminate technology complexity, optimise performance and streamline recovery when a successful attack inevitably occurs within any business. Whilst economic theories are increasingly utilised to explain cyber-crime, it is legal tech that can provide constructive answers to issues that arise within the technological revolution.
