In mid-2019, we held our first online security summit bringing together legal, cybersecurity and IT professionals to discuss law firms' responsibility to manage cybersecurity, including risk management, potential future threats and steps firms should take to ensure the security of their firms' and clients' data. Our third most popular blog post from 2019 was the invitation to the summit. 

Topics: Technology Consulting, IT Tips, cybersecurity, phishing, Business Continuity

Our fourth most popular blog of 2019 falls outside the strict theme of "business continuity" as it was a recount of a personal phishing attack I experienced (and have experienced again since). Nonetheless, it is just these personal attacks that lead to cybersecurity breaches of larger organizations. In fact, cybercriminals are often able to reuse the credentials they discover in successful cyberattacks against individuals' personal data to access corporate and other accounts. 

Topics: Technology Consulting, IT Tips, cybersecurity, phishing, Business Continuity

Shortly after I signed off of work last night, I checked my smartphone for the first time in an hour or so and discovered I'd missed a call. The waiting voicemail claimed to be from Amazon customer service warning me my account had been compromised by the unauthorized purchase of a refurbished $650 iPhone 6. The purchase had been stopped, the caller said, but my Amazon account would be closed if I did not call them back at 1-866-850-3558. 

Topics: cybersecurity, phishing, Cybercrime

Here's a quick checklist of things you should do when your email has been compromised.

Topics: Email Management, cybersecurity, phishing, Email Security

Recent research has shown changes in the effectiveness of various phishing attacks.

Cofense, previously PhishMe, issued a report based on 1,400 clients in 23 industries in more than 50 countries that notes that 7.5 million phishing emails were reported in 2017 alone. But the effectiveness of phishing campaigns has shifted.

In prior research, users were most emotionally motivated to open emails that made them feel a sense of urgency, fear or opportunity. Those three emotional motivators have now been replaced with entertainment, social and reward/recognition.

Topics: Security, Training, cybersecurity, Ransomware, Hacking, phishing, Cybercrime, Email Security, Information Security

Topics: Security, Training, Malware, Information Governance, Email Management, Network, Access Control, Mimecast, Dual Factor Authentication, whaling, cybersecurity, Passwords, Biometric Authentication, Two Factor Authentication, Ransomware, Hacking, Advanced Persistent Threats, phishing, Antivirus, Cybercrime, Enterprise Mobility Management, Mobile, Email Security, 2FA, Information Security, Penetration Testing, Vulnerability Testing, firewall

We have recently been made aware of a sophisticated email phishing campaign targeting law firms and other businesses. 

Topics: Security, Alerts, Email Management, cybersecurity, Hacking, phishing, Cybercrime, Email Security, Information Security, Identity Theft

It's that time again — time to file your taxes early so criminals don't do it for you and steal your possible refunds. This is of special importance after the recent Equifax hack in which most Americans' personal information, including Social Security Numbers, was accessed by criminals. The most effective defense is to file your taxes early — before identity thieves have the chance to do it for you. 

Topics: Security, Alerts, Hacking, phishing, PII, Cybercrime, Identity Theft

It's happened. You've done everything you can to defend your law firm from this day, but the hacker successfully breached your walls. Now, you're faced with encrypted files, lost confidential data, demands for money, the insertion of other forms of malware on your network or, even worse, some combination of these and/or more malicious activities or demands.

What do you do now? Who needs to know? Who are you gonna call?

Topics: Security, Training, Malware, IT Tips, Email Management, whaling, cybersecurity, Hashcat, Passwords, Hacking, phishing, Virus, Antivirus, FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, US-CERT, IC3, Secret Service, PII, Federal Trade Commission, APTs, Cybercrime

Topics: Security, Training, Malware, IT Tips, Webinars, whaling, cybersecurity, Passwords, Ransomware, Hacking, phishing, Virus, Antivirus, Endpoint Protection, APTs

One click. That's all it took. One single click.

All the law firm's data. All of it. Gone. Encrypted. Corrupted. The best you can hope for is that you get

Topics: Security, Training, Malware, IT Tips, Webinars, whaling, cybersecurity, Passwords, Ransomware, Hacking, phishing, Virus, Antivirus, Endpoint Protection, APTs

Along with ransomware, another threat — whaling — has been dominating the news lately. While phishing has been going on for years, whaling is a slight change of direction offering greater monetary rewards for successful hackers.

In our own past experience, a law firm’s bookkeeper received an innocent-looking email from the managing partner requesting that several thousand dollars be paid from a certain account. The email looked legitimate and even came from the managing partner’s email address. But, in reality, it was a spoofed email.

The attacker faked the email address, figured out who the bookkeeper was and sent them an email pretending to be the managing partner. Fortunately, the law firm had a protocol in place for the bookkeeper to contact the controller before authorizing the payment. Had that policy not been in place, the firm would have lost thousands of dollars. 

Topics: Security, Malware, IT Tips, whaling, cybersecurity, Ransomware, Hacking, phishing, Endpoint Protection

As the number and types of cyber-threats multiply, regularly updated security policies must be developed and additional training provided to ensure law firms' users are aware of such threats and how to avoid them. Unfortunately, there is usually a disagreement between users and IT staff about users knowledge and ability to recognize and circumvent an attack.

There is a distinct divide between what IT administrators feel about security and the impressions of a law firm’s general users. While most administrators feel users need more training to better recognize security-compromising events, i.e., email phishing attempts, many end users feel they are already able to spot when they are the victim of a sophisticated phishing attempt. It is important that the firm’s IT department and managing team are on the same page when it comes to information security and the amount of training required to support the firm’s directives and legal and ethical requirements.

Topics: Security, Malware, IT Tips, Network, whaling, cybersecurity, Ransomware, phishing

Wouldn't it be nice if security threats remained the same? We would only have to implement a single type of protection for each risk -- and that's that. No need for a deadbolt because the regular doorknob lock works. Car alarms were never invented because door locks worked fine. Cybercriminals couldn't shut down your network or ransom your files because you had anti-virus software installed.

 

Unfortunately, that is fantasyland. However, sometimes we treat our networks and endpoints as if they operate in that idealized world.

 

Topics: Security, Malware, IT Tips, Network, whaling, cybersecurity, Ransomware, phishing

UPDATE 1 MAR 2016: Our partners at Mimecast announced today at the RSA Conference that they are launching the first-ever threat protection against whaling. Learn more here.

 

Whaling Attack? No, it’s not the latest survivalist reality television show. It’s a potential hacking threat posing a real problem for today’s technologically driven law firms and companies. [Update 29 FEB 2016: Here are a few good, if sad, examples of whaling.]

As in reality, whales are bigger than phish. Phishing is usually conducted using shotgun-style emails sent to the masses looking for people to divulge sensitive information, like Social Security Numbers or other personally identifiable information (PII). A whaling attack, however, targets the C-suite, partners, upper management, celebrities and other individuals of high worth or influence.

Topics: Security, Malware, Technology Consulting, IT Tips, Disaster Recovery, Email Management, Network, SentinelOne, whaling, cybersecurity, phishing