Cyber Security Guidance for
the Legal Sector
The Cyber Resilience Centre are committed to supporting the growing North West legal sector by offering affordable cyber security services and guidance.
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The Cyber Resilience Centre supports law firms, chambers & partnerships across the North West in Merseyside, Cheshire, Cumbria, Liverpool, Manchester & more!
Did you know Manchester employs the largest number of legal professionals outside of London, with 13,000 people employed?
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According to the latest Law Firms Survey from PwC, 78% of the top 100 law firms see cyber threats as something they are extremely or somewhat concerned about.
What cyber threats does the
Legal Sector face?
Client Data Breaches
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Law firms hold sensitive information about their clients, such as financial and personal details, which makes them a prime target for cybercriminals. If this information is breached, it can lead to legal and reputational consequences for the law firm.
Intellectual Property Theft​
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Law firms often handle confidential intellectual property information for their clients, which can be a valuable target for cybercriminals who seek to steal it for their gain or sell it on the black market.
Data Destruction
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Cybercriminals may target law firms with malware or other cyber attacks to delete or corrupt sensitive data, which can have severe consequences for ongoing legal cases or business operations.
Cyber Espionage
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Foreign governments and state-sponsored hackers may target law firms to gain access to sensitive information about national security, government policy, or ongoing legal cases.
Cyber Case Hijacking​
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In this attack, cybercriminals may gain access to a law firm's systems or email accounts and use the information to hijack a legal case, either by making unauthorised changes to legal documents, diverting funds or stealing sensitive information.
Insider Threats​
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Law firms may also face insider threats, where employees or contractors with access to sensitive information intentionally or unintentionally leak confidential information through carelessness or malicious intent.
Risk Scenario
Sophie: Paralegal
Sophie is a paralegal at Chester-based solicitors who handles sensitive legal documents and confidential client information.
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Sophie often works from home, accessing the firm's network and data on her laptop and mobile. She also accesses an unsecured public Wi-Fi network in her local cafe which cybercriminals could easily compromise. This puts the firm's data at risk of interception and theft.
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Sophie frequently forgets to back up and update her devices, and she often leaves them unsecured in public places such as her local coffee shop or in first class when she's on the train. This puts the firm's data at risk of theft or unauthorised access.
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In addition, Sophie reuses her password across all her work accounts. She refuses to use two-factor authentication, which could significantly reduce the risk of unauthorised access to the firm's network and data.
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Sophie mixes her personal and work contacts on her mobile phone, and she sometimes saves confidential client information on her mobile notes app. This creates a data leakage or theft risk, especially if Sophie loses her phone.
How can the Cyber Resilience Centre help you stay secure?
We can provide a range of affordable, professional cyber security services that help your law firm assess, build and manage your cyber security capabilities, build confidence in your staff, understand your vulnerabilities and secure your business.
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You can also explore our Premium Membership, which includes a bespoke security awareness training program, allowing you to train several cyber security champions and thoroughly assess your cyber risk.
Security Awareness Training​
Law firms regularly store, manage, and oversee valuable client data. You’re entrusted with sensitive personal data; all your staff must know the latest cyber-related risks and cyber-attacks.
Secure your Digital Footprint​
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We can perform a comprehensive review of publicly available information about your business. This can help you learn what is being said about your firm, what account details or passwords have been leaked or if there are any negative news stories or social media posts.
You must test your IT system configuration with a vulnerability assessment; this assessment uses the same techniques used by hackers to ensure your company is not wide open to a cyber attack.
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We have designed a Cyber Health Check to provide a summary of their cyber risks through a self-assessment questionnaire and police-certified recommendations report and action plan.
Do you have a Cyber Incident Response Plan?
We have created a Cyber Incident Response Pack, which contains documents to help support your organisation's plan for its response to a cyber incident.
These documents are designed to complement any existing plans or assist you in creating one.
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The Incident Response Pack includes:
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Incident Guide Introduction
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Prepare Your Business Checklist
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Emergency Contact List Template
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Incident Response Communications
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Legal Implications of a Cyber Incident
