Remote Security is an Absolute Must for Law Firms of all Sizes
The modern workplace is as dynamic as it gets. Everything seems to change as soon as people become comfortable with the latest alterations. The same is true of the legal field. This is a demanding line of work that requires attorneys and support staff to travel, make quick adjustments and embrace change. Those who work in the legal field tend to be fairly transient. Court hearings mandate attorneys travel throughout the county or even the entire state. This means attorneys and some support staff spend a considerable amount of time on the road. If your law firm’s remote security is not up-to-par, you will pay the consequences sooner or later. It is not a question of if but when the negative ramifications will arise from insufficient remote security.
The Potential for a Data Breach
For all the good provided by an increasingly mobile legal team, there is some bad. Working on-the-go with laptops, tablets and smartphones increases the chances of a data breach. This is precisely why remote security is so important. Law firms handle highly sensitive information that has the potential to create chaos if it falls into the wrong hands. The problem is many law firms lack a well-staffed IT department to implement digital security safeguards. It is no secret some attorneys are technologically- challenged. After all, these professionals deal with words and people for the majority of their day as opposed to the latest technological innovations. If your law firm does not have robust remote security protections in place, you will eventually suffer a breach. If the breach is significant enough, it will drive clients away and possibly even lead to the closure of your firm.
The Bullseye is on Law Firms
The data shows law firms are one of the top targets for cyber miscreants, partially because such firms tend to lack adequate IT resources and the latest digital protections against threats. Furthermore, law firms store valuable data that hackers would love to pilfer. Everything from intellectual property to communications between clients and attorneys, payment data and credit card data is available for the taking if your firm is lacking in remote security.
Secure Every Device
Nearly every attorney relies on a smartphone for work. The trouble is plenty of these devices lack security. Data and file encryption should be used to prevent unauthorized physical access to laptops and other devices. The sad truth is few lawyers use encryption of any sort.
Change Those Passwords!
Password security is essential to maintaining a secure digital environment. Password security is of even more importance for systems that allow employees to access or modify data from a remote location.  The password update process should be automated to mandate all passwords are altered every 30 days. Furthermore, access codes should also be changed at specific intervals to protect information. Two-factor authentication will also prove quite helpful in preventing evildoers from breaching your system as it forces them to pass through an extra layer of security.
