It is a safe bet that the legal tech industry is thrilled to know that cloud adoption among law firms is growing. According to the ABA’s most recent technology survey, cloud usage in the legal sector jumped 3 percentage points in 2019 to 58%. The number of law firms not using the cloud in any way, shape, or form dropped 31%. However, not all the news from the survey is good.
Data shows that among those law firms now doing things in the cloud, some 35% have not taken any definitive measures to increase cyber security. Only 41% claim to have intentionally adopted changes to technology and security policies as a result of moving to the cloud. So, what does it all mean? Check out cyber security course in hyderabad to know more.
In plain English, it means that cyber security is still wanting in the legal sector despite greater movement toward the cloud. The data suggests that law firms might be improperly equating cloud adoption with security. While the cloud is demonstrably safer now than it was a decade ago, moving a law firm’s data and case management systems into the cloud does not automatically guarantee their security.
Developing Security Policies
The makers of the NuLaw legal case management application explain that moving from a locally hosted system to a cloud system does enhance security somewhat. Cloud environments tend to be more secure than local environments simply because they have more advanced hardware, software, and cyber security protocols in place. The problem is in the lack of security policies in the office.
A primary concern is mobility. Law firms that already utilize NuLaw have access to their data from anywhere thanks to the platform’s mobile capabilities. Any staff attorney with a smartphone, tablet, or laptop can log on and work remotely. However, doing so opens the door to security issues.
For example, imagine an attorney logging on to his NuLaw account via a public wi-fi network at a local coffee shop. The cloud environment in which his firm’s data is hosted remains secure. The same is not true for his public wi-fi connection. Anyone in the coffee shop with the right technology could steal data right from under the attorney’s nose without him ever knowing it.
The point here is that moving data into the cloud is just the first step. The second step is to develop security policies that govern how attorneys and support staff use their devices to access data. Security policies can cover everything from mobile data access to how attorneys and staff communicate.
Backing up Data
Another big concern is the lack of backups among law firms. The ABA survey shows that just 27% of law firms with data in the cloud make local backups. This is more important than you might think. Cloud providers offer their own backup services, but they are not perfect. It would only take a single ransomware attack to lock a law firm out of its data indefinitely.
Law firms need to have backup policies and procedures in place. Data should be backed up locally, then stored off-site in a secure location. Employing a comprehensive backup strategy protects a law firm’s data in the event something should happen in the cloud. And yes, things do go wrong in the cloud.
The long and short of it is that moving legal case management software and data to the cloud does not guarantee security in and of itself. Law firms need to take additional action to make sure the utmost security is achieved. That includes developing cyber security policies, regularly backing up data, and more. Visit cyber security course in bangalore to apply now.
