New research by the Solicitors Regulation Authority has uncovered an increase in the number of cases of cyber crime and this is becoming an issue for solicitors and their firms.
"Law firm client accounts are being targeted and solicitors and their clients are suffering disruption and potential loss," said Paul Philip, SRA chief executive. "It is essential that firms understand the risks and take precautions to avoid falling victim to these attacks."
Cyber criminals have started to use increasingly sophisticated methods to fraudulently obtain money or sensitive information in the intervening period. In recent years large companies such as Sony, Adobe, eBay and TalkTalk have been targeted by cyber crime, however it’s not just large companies being targeted, small companies have also been targeted with nearly two-thirds suffering security breaches in 2014.
Legal firms need to draft plans to prevent this happening to them. This can be done by carrying out an audit to make sure they understand their cyber crime risks and draw up a plan based on the findings. Cyber Essentials checks that the company's IT infrastructure is safe in the following areas:
- Boundary Firewalls and Internet Gateways
- Secure Configurations
- User Access Control
- Malware Protection
- Patch Management
Cyber Essentials is the government scheme for businesses to demonstrate their commitment to cyber security, making sure they are secure from the threat of cyber attack, securing themselves and their clients data.
Source: http://insideconveyancing.co.uk/content/cybercriminalstargetinglegalsector
