Law Firms Urged By Corporate Clients, Law Enforcement To Up Cybersecurity

Law firms are being called on to prove to corporate clients that they are protecting themselves against cyber attacks, and that sensitive company data isn’t at risk. Wall Street banks in particular are pressuring the firms, the New York Times reports, in some cases by carrying out on-site inspections or requiring the firms to fill out detailed questionnaires about their cyber-security practices. Some corporate clients are specifying they want more secure technology or requiring the firms to take cyber-insurance. The FBI has also taken an interest in law firm security, and more recently Mary Jo White, chair of the SEC, has weighed in, specifically on the requirement that corporations disclose security breaches. But some are concerned that law firm hacks are far more common than even the firms themselves realize.