Tabush Group's Cloud & Managed IT Blog

Law firms are a prime target of cybersecurity attacks because they deal with confidential data, and many do not have the proper security protocols in place. An October 2020 report from the American Bar Association shows that the number of firms who experienced a security breach (such as a lost/stolen computer or smartphone, hacker, break-in, or website exploit) increased over the prior year: 29% of respondents compared to 26% in 2019. One of the most costly forms of a cybersecurity attack in terms of time and resources is ransomware. Let us explore what ransomware is and how to protect your firm.

Small to midsize law firms have been increasingly targeted for cyberattacks. Cybercriminals know that smaller companies are less likely than their larger counterparts to have sophisticated security protocols in place, and that law firm data is particularly valuable. The confidential nature of attorney-client relationships gives lawyers added motivation to pay a ransom to recover their sensitive data, which is not lost on bad actors. In fact, 24.9% of all ransomware attacks in 1Q 2021 targeted professional services firms, especially small and midsize law firms, according to Coveware. 

But despite the growing risk of cyberattacks, law firms continue to make critical mistakes that leave their systems vulnerable to breaches. Below are 5 common cybersecurity mistakes law firms make. 

The pandemic caused a paradigm shift toward remote and hybrid work environments, and law firms are no exception. In a 2021 survey by Bloomberg Law, 40% of attorneys reported their firms allowed complete flexibility regarding their work environment. Only a quarter of respondents said they were expected to be in the office at least 3 days a week, and only 1 in 10 said their in-office presence was expected full-time. If lawyer preferences are any indication, these trends are likely to continue. Only 11% of lawyers surveyed said they would prefer to be in the office full-time, and only a quarter said they wanted to be in the office 3 or 4 days a week. 

In this webinar, our panel discussed the many advantages law firms experience when using the SaaS solution NetDocuments for their document and email management.

Phishing remains one of the most common types of data breaches and often leads to a ransomware attack. When ransomware hits your IT, all or substantial parts of your IT will stop functioning and your data becomes compromised. The only way to bring your systems back online is to restore from backup or to “pay the piper,” the cybercriminal, their ransom. While ransoms of the past were in the thousands, they are now typically hundreds of thousands or even millions! In a worst-case scenario, there will be operating losses due to interruption of services when restoring and rebuilding your systems. The other main results of phishing are the stealing of personal or confidential business information, as well as the hijacking of a person’s mailbox, to deliver false instructions to illicit a payment to the cybercriminal.

Our very own Darragh Fitzpatrick, Partner & Executive Vice President here at Tabush Group, was recently featured on the Systems Simplified podcast, discussing Simplifying and Systematizing Your Remote Workspace.

Cybersecurity is something that should always be at the top of mind when it comes to your business. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, more people are working remotely, and this is a concern for organizations because home or public networks generally do not have the same security protocols and safeguards in place to protect against cyber threats.

In this webinar, our panel discussed how you can have all of the benefits and security of the cloud for everything – your infrastructure, all your applications, and your data.

Our very own Darragh Fitzpatrick, Partner & Executive Vice President here at Tabush Group, was recently featured on the Profit with Law podcast, discussing Tighten Up Security and Protect Your Law Firm's Data.