Cyber education for law firms is more important than ever
With cybersecurity breaches again in the news, and the announcement of Australia’s first cybersecurity coordinator to lead responses to cyber-attacks, we wanted to share some crucial insights that could significantly impact your law firm's security and reputation. Cybersecurity breaches result in serious financial losses, legal and regulatory non-compliance, and reputational damage. Cybercrime has become the number one business risk that law firms must prepare for.
Cybercrime: A Predictable Business Risk for Law Firms
Cybercrime has become an increasingly common and sophisticated threat in recent years. Criminals have shifted their focus to target valuable data held by law firms, knowing that sensitive client information can be exploited for extortion and financial gain. While it's tempting to think that your firm might not be a target, the reality is that any organisation is vulnerable. The aftermath of a cyber-attack can devastate your firm’s reputation, client trust, and bottom line.
Recent high profile data breaches such as Optus and Medibank Private exemplify how a large-scale cyber-attack can thrust a business into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. These breaches affected millions of Australians, exposing their sensitive data to bad actors who will attempt to use the information for their own financial gain or other illegal activities.
Read our article“Data Breaches at Scale: the Implications for Law Firms,”published in the January 2023 edition of the Australasian Law Management Journal, here.
A Cyber-Aware Culture: More Than Just Phishing Simulations
Creating a strong defence against cyber threats goes beyond conducting routine phishing simulations or implementing standard security measures. Building a robust cyber-aware culture involves fostering a deep understanding and appreciation of the risks posed by cybercriminals. It requires a collective effort from everyone in your team to stay vigilant and take proactive steps to protect your firm's sensitive data. It takes more than awareness, it takes vigilance. Early reports in both the Medibank and Optus cases indicated that neither of these incidents occurred through the “typical” method of a phishing email, which is often the sole focus of many businesses’ cyber-education programs.
You Don't Need to be a Target to be a Victim
Recognising that cybercrime doesn't always discriminate based on a law firm's size or perceived importance is essential. In fact, cybercriminals often capitalise on any vulnerabilities they find, regardless of whether the organisation is a small practice or a large corporate firm. As cyber threats evolve, relying solely on outdated security practices is no longer sufficient to safeguard your firm's reputation and client data. Optus and Medibank Private were clearly the victims of serious crimes, and while not the initial direct target of these attacks, their customers were also victims. It’s clear that all Australian businesses need to take steps to safeguard not only company and staff data but also confidential client information.
“Protecting your firm and your clients is about more than just awareness. It’s about resilience, education and vigilance.”
When was the last time your firm conducted cyber resilience education?
At Law & Cyber, we understand the critical nature of cybersecurity awareness and the potential risks that law firms face in their daily activities. We support you in building a cyber-aware and cyber-resilient culture, empowering all your staff to become your strongest resource in protecting your business – and your clients – against cyber breaches.
We offer tailored in-person and on-demand online cyber awareness education to assist law firms in becoming cyber resilient. Our training programs focus on the Australian context and are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure the most recent information, case examples and legislation are covered.
Delivered by our award-winning director Simone Herbert-Lowe, our approach to building a cyber-aware culture involves comprehensive training sessions that help your team understand and appreciate the real implications of cyber threats. By promoting a proactive and security-conscious mindset, we work with you to help safeguard your firm from potential breaches.
Online Cyber Resilience Education
Our unique and up-to-the-minute course, including examples of recent scams, focuses on professional duties using real-life examples impacting all legal and professional staff working in a law firm. The self-paced course can form part of your learning management system for onboarding new staff and meeting ongoing training requirements.
All-Australian content, including professional duties and relevant legislation such as the Privacy Act 1988
May be claimed as compulsory CPD (Practice Management and Business Skills - except WA)
Suitable for both lawyers and non-lawyers
Our online course has been licensed, endorsed or distributed by:
In-Person Cyber Resilience Education
Our in-person education program is developed with the specific needs of your firm in mind. We work with you to understand the key risks within your firm’s practice areas and drive genuine behavioural change so that attendees think, “This could happen to me,” and learn how to respond accordingly.
Presentations are customised to reflect key risk areas within your firm’s practice specialisations.
In-Person Cyber Resilience Education:
Utilises a combination of discussion topics, including the global and Australian context, case studies, real-life examples, and legal and professional requirements.
Incorporates text, video, diagrams, animations and audience participation for effective communication and engagement.
Provides attendees with the opportunity to ask questions during or after the presentation.
Let us help you build a cyber-aware culture
Don't wait until it's too late. Join more than 10,000 empowered lawyers and law firm employees proactively mitigating cyber risks. Contact Law & Cyber today to learn more about our training programs and consulting services and how to build a cyber-aware and cyber-resilient culture in your law practice.
