Feds say 1789 law requires Apple to help government get encrypted smartphone data

A portion of a 1789 law signed by George Washington requires Apple Inc. to help decrypt information on smartphones and tablets marketed as protected against government intrusion, the feds say. And federal magistrates in at least two states have agreed with government lawyers that, under the All Writs Act, companies…

Dec 1, 2014 4:20 PM CST

Security Test: Innovative lab checks digital products for privacy risks

Nov 1, 2014 1:58 AM CDT

FBI faked Associated Press news story to identify teen suspect in high school bomb-threats case

Seeking to download law enforcement malware onto the computer of a teenager suspected of making bomb threats against a Washington state high school, the FBI admittedly faked a news story. Then the FBI planted the bogus article about the threats, which purported to have been published by the Associated Press,…

Oct 29, 2014 11:50 AM CDT

Is your firm’s phone line secure? If not, a hack attack can cost you big bucks

Many small businesses don’t realize it, but their phone system may be a potential gateway for hackers. Large companies that contract for service with major carriers have little to worry about, because sophisticated security systems are in place and customers likely will be indemnified if they fail. But small businesses…

Oct 21, 2014 1:00 PM CDT

How can you protect your privacy following recent iPhone updates?

Should you trust that Apple protects your privacy in its new iPhone and iPad update? Probably not, according to the bloggers at GottaBeMobile. As ABA Techshow speakers pointed out in March, lawyers must be especially vigilant about securing their mobile devices to guard any potentially sensitive client data. Here are…

Oct 7, 2014 1:14 PM CDT

Maker of eavesdropping and surveillance app indicted

The maker of SteathGenie, a popular eavesdropping and surveillance smartphone app that’s marketed as a tool to catch cheating spouses and significant others, has been indicted. The Washington Post reported that federal authorities on Monday, unsealed the indictment of Hammad Akbar of Lahore, Pakistan. Akbar, who serves as CEO of…

Sep 30, 2014 4:30 PM CDT

Ronald Deibert’s ‘CSI of cyberspace’ exposes global injustice and promotes cybersecurity

Ronald Deibert likes to refer to the laboratory he directs as the CSI of cyberspace. Much like TV’s CSI, the Citizen Lab consists of specialists from several different fields of expertise. Founded by Deibert in 2001, the interdisciplinary initiative based at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs…

Sep 25, 2014 8:30 AM CDT

Home Depot confirms data breach

Home Depot confirmed Monday that the store had suffered a data breach that could affect customers who used a debit card or a credit card at some 2,200 stores in the U.S. and Canada. The company said its payment systems had been hacked possibly as far back as April, but…

Sep 8, 2014 5:05 PM CDT

NSA surveillance policies raise questions about the viability of the attorney-client privilege

Sep 1, 2014 8:49 AM CDT

Fake law firm websites use real firms’ photos and info, but alter contact details

A smiling man in a business suit pictured on the Dovernor Chambers website in a wood-paneled office looks like a seasoned legal practitioner, and is. However, he actually is a U.S. lawyer practicing in Kansas. The Dovernor Chambers firm—which purports to operate in the United Kingdom—is fake, and its website…

Aug 20, 2014 9:05 PM CDT

ABA House urges all organizations to develop cybersecurity programs

The ABA House of Delegates has adopted a policy encouraging private and public sector organizations to develop, implement and maintain an appropriate cybersecurity program. Such programs would need to comply with applicable ethical and legal obligations. They would also need to be tailored to the nature and scope of the…

Aug 12, 2014 4:15 PM CDT

You don’t need perfect tech knowhow for ethics’ sake—but a reasonable grasp is essential

So-called low-tech lawyers who pine for the bygone days before the Internet, the cloud and social media will have to get used to the fact that there is no turning back from technology. But the future may not be as intimidating as it might seem. That was the broad message…

Aug 9, 2014 11:00 PM CDT

Snowden gets 3-year residency permit, is on track for Russian citizenship

A U.S. intelligence contractor who became a household name after revealing classified information to journalists has renewed his Russian residency permit, which is now good for three more years, and is on track to become a Russian citizen. Edward Snowden, 31, who formerly worked for the National Security Agency, still…

Aug 7, 2014 10:00 PM CDT

Some 17,000 seek to join law student’s Facebook class action in Austria

A class action filed against Facebook by an Austrian law student, contending that its data-collection practices violate European law, is gathering steam. Some 17,000 users of the social media site have signed up to join in the case following a call to action by 26-year-old Max Schrems last week, Reuters…

Aug 5, 2014 10:25 PM CDT

Firms keep a tight rein on employees’ mobile access to networks

Aug 1, 2014 7:30 AM CDT