Lawyer-client confidentiality is under threat, but are firms facing up to the cybercrime challenge.
Despite being globally recognised as the most popular form of business communication, emails are synonymous with cybersecurity attacks leaving businesses, not least in the legal sector, struggling to find a solution.
In the conveyancing sector, one expert warned that human error invites cyber-attacks; the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has sought to negate this by recommending firms arrange training programmes to protect against cybercrime.
Peter Wright, MD of data privacy specialists Digital Law UK, ‘It is that overreliance on that technology that is bringing certain parts of the legal profession to its knees because it’s being so easily exploited by cybercrime. Law firms are frightened of change but also they perceive a difficulty in their clients adapting to its use.’
Cybercrime is becoming a more and more high profile problem for many sectors not just legal. What is clear is one incorrect e-mail or inadequate anti virus./malware software in place can leave you and your firm vulnerable to cybercrime. Conveyancing transactions are a common area of attack.Training programmes to protect against cybercrime are now available and likely to be prove invaluable.
