In 2017, 35% of lawyers stated they were looking to increase their cybersecurity budgets. In 2019, 87% of lawyers stated they were looking to increase their cybersecurity budgets.[1] That’s a significant increase in terms of concern. Why? Because law firms are starting to realize that they’re a major target for hackers looking to steal sensitive information. What makes law firms the ideal target?
Unfortunately, data breaches typically end up costing firms an incredible amount of money. Dentons Canada LLP experienced this firsthand when an associate accidentally transferred $2.5 million in a phishing scam. They were locked in a $1.7 million dispute with their insurer afterwards!
In today’s day and age, we know that firewalls and anti-virus software aren’t enough to stay safe against hackers. Yet a lot of law firms are relying on these solutions alone to keep them protected. If you don’t have the following, then chances are, you’re not as secure as you think:
This is the bare minimum when it comes to cybersecurity as a law firm.
Canadian law firms must ensure adequate cybersecurity measures are in place to prevent data breaches. Why? Because class-action lawsuits are becoming more common than ever before in the event of breaches of privacy and/or the misuse of personal information. Attorneys have a legal and ethical duty to protect their firm and its clients. Canada follows the legal framework known as PIPEDA (The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act), as well as the Digital Privacy Act, which amended PIPEDA in 2015 to include mandatory data breach notification requirements. According to PIPEDA, law firms must:
Not Sure You’re Properly Protecting Your Clients Information? Let’s Talk. Call (604) 986-8170 Now.
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