Cybersecurity

Judge tosses suits claiming insurance investigators hacked into lawyers’ outside database

A federal judge in California has tossed two lawsuits claiming that private investigators hired by workers’ comp insurance companies hacked into confidential lawyer files stored in an online file-storage system. U.S. District Judge Andrew Guilford of California ruled that the alleged hacking didn’t violate state tort law and couldn’t be…

Jun 29, 2017 12:50 PM CDT

How prepared are law firms for cyber breaches? And how often are firms being attacked?

On the same day that a massive ransomware attack hit DLA Piper, cybersecurity startup firm LogicForce released a chilling report that found that law firms are still woefully unprepared for all sorts of cyber threats.

Jun 29, 2017 8:41 AM CDT

DLA Piper works with FBI as it grapples with malware attack, says client data appears unaffected

DLA Piper is working with forensic experts and law enforcement agencies following a widespread malware attack on Tuesday that forced the law firm to shut down its computer systems as a precautionary measure.

Jun 28, 2017 4:11 PM CDT

Former Dentons associate accused in extortion plot involving threat to leak documents to legal blog

A former Dentons litigation associate in Los Angeles has been charged with extortion for allegedly threatening to leak sensitive law firm documents to the blog Above the Law unless his demands were met. Former associate Michael Potere, 32, is accused of demanding that the law firm pay him $210,000 and…

Jun 28, 2017 9:47 AM CDT

DLA Piper hit by ‘major cyber attack’ amid larger hack spreading to US

DLA Piper is dealing with a ransomware attack on Tuesday that is apparently affecting offices in the United States, Europe and the Middle East.

Legal Week says the firm was “hit by a major cyber attack.” Lawyers who spoke with the publication said emails and phone systems were affected, and computers were shut down as a precaution.

Jun 27, 2017 12:27 PM CDT

Regulators enlist corporate lawyers in joint response to cyberattacks

Responding quickly to an identity theft, ransomware or other computer attack means having a plan in place. And as participants in the National Institute on Cybersecurity Law learned, that includes a plan to send in the feds. “Figure out if you have to report that breach to my office or…

Jun 26, 2017 4:20 PM CDT

ABA supports cybersecurity bill

The ABA is supporting a bill that fosters collaboration between state, local and federal agencies to battle cyber threats. On Tuesday, the ABA sent a letter (PDF) supporting the bill, the Cyber Preparedness Act of 2017, to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and…

Jun 13, 2017 2:08 PM CDT

Using unencrypted email in client communications not always enough, ethics opinion indicates

Lawyers must take reasonable efforts to ensure that communications with clients are secure and not subject to inadvertent or unauthorized security breaches, reads a recently released formal ethics opinion from the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility. Formal Ethics Opinion 477 (PDF) updates Formal Ethics Opinion 99-413, which…

May 11, 2017 10:35 AM CDT

Microsoft’s new deputy GC will lead efforts on privacy, cybersecurity

Julie Brill, the longtime consumer advocate and former member of the Federal Trade Commission, will join Microsoft Corp. this summer to lead its privacy and regulatory affairs group, Law.com reported Friday. Brill’s title will be Deputy General Counsel for Privacy and Regulatory Affairs, according to a Microsoft corporate blog. She…

May 2, 2017 7:00 AM CDT

Inaccurate leads from IP addresses prompt police to serve warrants on innocent people

The advent of proxy servers and mobile access to the internet has made IP addresses less reliable for law enforcement investigating online crimes.

May 1, 2017 2:10 AM CDT

FBI director confirms probe of Trump campaign and Russia

FBI director James Comey confirmed that the bureau is investigating whether there was coordination between Russian officials and President Donald Trump’s campaign during the 2016 presidential campaign. The House Intelligence Committee opened hearings on Monday to determine the extent of Russian interference and whether campaign officials from either side helped.…

Mar 20, 2017 3:02 PM CDT

Blockchain technology can provide lawyers with an authentic, secure ledger

A crash course in blockchain at ABA Techshow started Friday with Oliver Goodenough instructing participants to repeat after him its more useful generic description, "distributed ledger technology."

Mar 18, 2017 10:00 AM CDT

Want to know if work data is secure? Examine your own practices first

Technology can help you keep data secure, but the first step in preventing a cyberattack is personal behavior, according to Shamla Naidoo, IBM’s global chief information security officer. “As consumers, we make the difference. The world we live in is changing. Give yourself the security benefit of taking all the…

Mar 17, 2017 5:40 PM CDT

Law firms can be soft targets for hackers, say cybersecurity experts

In any organization at least one person—and probably more—will click any email link, and sometimes that opens a door for hackers to get to senior management data. The issue was discussed by two cyberintelligence experts at a Thursday ABA Techshow panel, titled “A Fool and His Data Are Easily Parted:…

Mar 16, 2017 1:57 PM CDT

6 major law firm hacks in recent history

Law firms have been victims of some of the most damaging hacks in recent history. Here’s a list of the major law firm hacks in the past five years.

Mar 1, 2017 11:54 AM CST