As a lawyer, if you’re not concerned about online security, or don’t think a security breach will happen to you, then think again. Our latest Infographic might change your mind.
Professional groups of highly skilled hackers, sometimes government backed and politically motivated, are targeting an ever increasing number law firms. The attacks are not random, but rather targeted and persistent.
A 2012 whitepaper by security software provider, Symantec, suggests that “Victims are attacked, not for petty crime or theft, but for the wholesale gathering of intelligence and intellectual property.”
As a legal professional, you most certainly have access to sensitive information about your clients. And hackers know it. In 2011, an estimated 80 major law firms in the US were hacked. Most, if not all, probably thought it couldn’t happen to them.
So how did it? The most common form of infiltration is spear phishing; crafting a convincing email that looks like it’s from a trusted source which, when opened, infects the victim’s computer. If it sounds too obvious, don’t be fooled. Spear phishing emails have improved significantly in just a few short years and are virtually impossible to detect. Even the most security conscious AM Law 100 firms are falling victim to spear phishing. And with the names and contact details of partners and lawyers usually published on the firm’s website, it’s not difficult to to figure out why.
As a cloud-based virtual data room provider used to securely share confidential documents, Firmex takes a great interest in discussions around law firm security. We’ve brought together the following Infographic to explain the growing threat of APT attacks, and how spear phishing is impacting the legal industry.