Complete guide for data protection in consulting and law firms

Challenges (issues) faced by law firms and consulting agencies in terms of cybersecurity

Law firms and consulting agencies handle large amounts of data (financial, tax, legal, personal, etc.), as well as confidential and sensitive information from their clients. For this reason, they are an easy target for cybercriminals. What these criminals seek is to steal this information and demand a ransom for its recovery. However, in most cases, paying the ransom does not guarantee that cybercriminals won't make the information public.

The digitization of files, information, and bureaucratic documentation has increased significantly in the last ten years. The use of the internet to fill out and submit confidential or classified sensitive information is becoming more common in law firms, consulting agencies, and administrative offices. That's why investing in cybersecurity becomes essential and almost mandatory, especially to comply with policies such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The lack of investment, as well as the absence of cybersecurity strategies and the assistance of professionals in the field, make the workflows used by law firms and consulting agencies an easy target for information theft.

In summary, here are some of the main challenges faced by law firms and consulting agencies when it comes to ensuring the security of data and information:

• Lack of technical knowledge: The lack of technical knowledge can not only be the main cause of malware entering a law firm or consulting agency but can also lead to mismanagement of security procedures and internal policies. It may result in poor handling in the event of a cyber attack.

• Tight deadlines: Law firms and consulting agencies often work under tight deadlines, which can lead to a lack of time to implement proper cybersecurity measures. This could mean delaying important software updates, a lack of security training, and insufficient time to properly assess threats.

• Involvement of third parties: Law firms and consulting agencies often share confidential information with third parties, such as accounting software providers or management systems. It is crucial and a responsibility to protect this data. Clients need to be well-informed about how their data will be treated, and third parties involved must know exactly how to handle this data. The lack of experience or suitable personnel to take care of this aspect and ensure the optimal level of security can lead to a cybersecurity disaster.

• Lack of qualified personnel: Finding technical or cybersecurity departments within a law firm or consulting agency, especially in small firms, is not very common. Hiring an external partner is also not always the norm. This sometimes results in inadequate security measures, the absence of a cybersecurity strategy, and improper policies, leading to non-compliance with laws and regulations that can incur financial and legal penalties.

Now that we know the challenges, what types of cyber attacks are most common due to these shortcomings?

Password theft

25% of users use the same password for all their accounts, making it easy for cybercriminals to gain access to multiple accounts to steal information.

The lack of password management platforms is one of the main problems, not only in law firms or consulting agencies but in a large number of companies.

Moreover, the failure to activate multi-factor authentication or two-factor authentication (2FA) makes it easier for unauthorized third parties to access accounts, as there is no alert for login attempts from another device or country.

Phishing Attacks

Phishing is one of the most commonly used threats by cybercriminals when launching their attacks because the success rate is high. Phishing attacks often involve identity impersonation, meaning they send messages pretending to be a bank, the managing partner of the firm, etc., inviting the recipient to click on a link or download a malicious file.

Ataques de ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malware that denies access to your information and threatens to make your files inaccessible unless you agree to pay the requested ransom. It involves encrypting the documents and information of its victims, aiming to block them to prevent the user from accessing their files until a financial compensation is provided for their release

Cybersecurity measures you can implement in your law firm or consultancy

• Installation of firewalls and antivirus (XDR from Endpoint recommended).

• Keep software, tools, and applications always updated. In this article, we explain the importance of updates.

• Use VPN for network access. Avoid connecting on public networks.

• Regularly back up all your systems, data, and information.

• Establish secure email policies.

• Implement cloud security measures.

• Employee training in cybersecurity.

• Use password managers.

• Monitor access control to information within the law firm or consultancy.

• Essential to have an incident response plan.

• Conduct regular computer security audits. 

Don't know how to meet these requirements or implement these measures in your law firm or consultancy? We can help at ESED. You can contact us through the following link or request a free analysis of your site to assess its cybersecurity level.