Cyber attacks on the rise for QLD law firms – 3 simple steps to stop them before it’s too late

Posted on: October 2nd, 2019 onPlatinum

Law firms hold an enormous amount of sensitive information – personal client information, market-sensitive company mergers or acquisitions. An increasing number of QLD law firms are victims of cyber attacks, particularly ransomware and scam emails. Here are 3 simple steps to stop cyber attacks before it’s too late. 

1. Create awareness amongst your staff to stop cyber attacks

Cyber criminals target people. There is an increasing use of social engineering in cyber attacks, where attackers gain the trust of employees by being deceptive. By the time the email arrives in your staff members inbox, the attacker has built trust, and the victim will willingly click on a malicious link.

IT security systems can only go so far. Humans are the gatekeepers of the passwords, and we make mistakes. Your employees need to be aware of the risks and practice safe internet usage to protect your sensitive data from hackers to stop cyber attacks at your law firm. Implement company-wide education on cyber security, covering usage guidelines, protocol to ensure data is secure, disaster recovery procedures, password security practices, how to use the company network, and how to recognise scam emails.

2. Keep your systems up to date

Keeping your systems up to date is one of the most effective ways to protect against cyber attacks. By not updating your systems, you are essentially inviting cyber criminals in the front door. Stop cyber attacks by setting up automatic updates if possible or get into the habit of updating straight away when notified.

This applies to all your company-owned mobile devices too, not just the computers in the office. Employees have the responsibility to ensure their mobile phones are regularly updated if they are accessing the company network.

3. Back up your data regularly

According to security firm Kaspersky, ransomware attacks increased by 250 percent in 2017. These attacks involve cyber criminals hacking into computers, encrypting the data inside, and holding it for ransom. Be proactive and back up your data often on both physical and cloud drives, so you don’t need to pay a ransom to have your data returned.