We’ve all seen the headlines of breach after breach of big corporations, such as Target and Yahoo. Perhaps the most alarming was the Equifax breach in late 2017 affecting 145M customers, the full impact of which is still yet to be determined. Rightfully so, cyber attacks like this keep our personal and professional security top of mind.
As legal industry professionals, the security of sensitive data is critical. We all know the confidentiality of document review for eDiscovery. A breach of information could potentially cause irreparable damage. Imagine hundreds of privileged documents for a high-profile client suddenly becoming public fodder (think, Sony’s epic email breach). Or the juicy details of a divorce proceeding, ahem, Tiger Woods, or even the strategy email exchanges between you and your client. Needless to say, these scenarios would produce a devastating outcome.
So, what can we do to protect data in this age of cyber hackers? One major consideration is to move to the Cloud. Cloud-based technology offers a variety of defenses against electronic breaches of information primarily by utilizing robust auditing and encryption for sensitive data. In the eDiscovery world, using a cloud-based review tool not only gives you flexibility and contributes to a more efficient review, but it provides the necessary security to ensure the data in your care is safe.
Now that 2018 is under way and the looming compliance deadline of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) approaches, the responsibility to ensure adequate privacy and security has never been more critical than now, especially if your needs require data-sharing with large corporations at risk for security breaches.
On a personal level, consider storing important and sensitive documents in the Cloud. Avoid the hacker hangout of public WiFi. Use complex password conventions. Be leery of unsolicited emails asking for private information or links to click. Use two-factor authentication whenever available. Keep your computer systems updated. Finally, monitor, monitor, monitor- your bank accounts, credit accounts, and credit reports. Vigilance, both personally and professionally, is the best defense against a cyber attack.
For more information about IPRO’s cloud-based technology, click here.
