With the new year comes new cybersecurity threats for your law firm. No matter your size or niche, cyberthreats are real and potentially devastating. A cyberattack can be costly, it can damage your firm’s reputation, and it can even shutter your operations altogether. Law firms remain an attractive target for hackers given the bounty of sensitive information they hold on individuals and businesses. According to the most recent Legal Technology Survey Report from the American Bar Association, 25% of respondents said their law firm had been victim to a breach. 

As we head into 2023, now is the time to take stock of the cybersecurity at your firm. The good news is, there are five simple steps your team can employ today to protect your people and your practice from the latest cyberthreats. 

1. Understand your Security Posture

As we prepare for a strong 2023, new cybersecurity risks are on the horizon, especially for small businesses and firms. TechRepublic writes that “cybercriminals will be as busy as ever” this year. The best way to protect your firm is to know what you’re up against. If you understand where your vulnerabilities lie, you can defend against them.

The first step is to conduct a full security assessment of your practice to clarify your current security posture and see where (and how) nefarious actors might be able to find a way in. However, chances are, your firm lacks a robust cybersecurity department with the time and training to conduct such an assessment. 

At N8 Solutions, we’ve got you. We offer a free network security risk assessment and audit to make sure your firm is ready to tackle not only the latest threats but also the greatest productivity and scalability challenges that may be holding you back from a strong year ahead. Our assessment is free, without risk or commitment, and conducted by experts familiar with the legal industry. We’ll uncover security vulnerabilities, review back-ups, and identify any network issues that may result in slow systems and costly downtime. In 2023, it’s the best first step on your cybersecurity journey.

2. Implement the Right Security Tools

After you’ve assessed your security risks, your firm will better understand where your vulnerabilities lie. From here, you can begin to implement the right tools (and nothing more) to secure your growing practice. The most common security tools you’ll need to implement include company firewalls, anti-virus and malware software, password management, employee monitoring tools, and intrusion detection software. Hopefully, you have some of these tools in place already. But can you confidently answer this question: When did you last update the antivirus software at your firm?

Our free, robust security assessment also includes a close review of your software and configurations. Out-of-date or unpatched software opens the door for attackers to find holes and exploit vulnerabilities. We’ll help you identify the lags and make the updates you need to keep you protected.

3. Create a Backup and Recovery Plan

The third step is all about prevention. Ransomware attacks will remain a threat in 2023. The best defense against ransomware is to have a robust data backup and recovery plan in place. If you have a copy of all your data, an attacker can't really hold anything ransom. A data backup and recovery solution can’t prevent an attack, but it can minimize the damages and get your firm back up and running more quickly. Backing up will also protect your business from other unforeseen disasters, like a natural disaster, human error, fire or flood, or even another world-changing pandemic. 

4. Adopt (or Update) a Cybersecurity Policy

Step four requires us to take a bit of a step back. What is the current cybersecurity policy at your firm? If you can’t readily answer the question, now is the time to discuss, create, and align around a modern framework that makes sense for your people and your practice. A cybersecurity policy is more than just an oft-forgotten, written document hidden somewhere on your network. It’s a living plan to help ensure cybersecurity best practices that are understood and followed by everyone at your firm. 

Define a plan for your entire practice, focusing on company-wide email, internet usage, password management, and data retention policies. If you have a cybersecurity policy plan in place, take time to review and update it to reflect the latest threats.

And keep in mind, a cybersecurity policy is only effective if it’s followed. We also recommend that you train your entire staff on the policy to ensure your team understands it and that the measures can be broadly and clearly enforced. At N8 Solutions, we’ve worked with many law firms to establish cybersecurity training programs for staff and vendors, and we would be honored to help you create an easy, effective, and engaging training program for your people. For more, please see this post on five cybersecurity training tips your employees should know. 

5. Get Expert Advice

We get it. Your law firm is busy and you’re focused on what matters—providing the best service to your clients and growing your practice. Even if you have an in-house technology team, it’s a good practice to lean on the experts from time to time. The right partner, like N8 Solutions, can help you implement or improve upon your cybersecurity practices to protect you against the latest threats.

We have extensive experience working with law firms and we understand the nuanced challenges you face, from client confidentiality to compliance. We also know every firm is different, which is why we focus on a people-first, custom, and affordable approach to help you stay safe and productive. 

Please get in touch with us to take step one of your cybersecurity journey: a free network security risk assessment and audit. We’ll help you understand your current security posture, implement the right tools and policies, and even train your staff.

There are myriad benefits to working with a trusted partner, like controlling your technology costs and boosting your productivity. When you work with the experts, you’ll essentially extend your in-house capabilities at a fraction of the cost and with less headache than hiring a technology team amidst a global skills shortage. Please reach out today for a strong and secure year ahead!