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Cybersecurity Strategies for Small Businesses and Firms

When it comes to ransomware and data breaches, we mostly hear about the attacks on massive corporations. After all, these cyber-assaults can affect millions, so it only makes sense that attacks on big businesses are the ones we hear about. However, this creates a false assumption that only big businesses are affected by cybercrime. Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, small businesses and firms are often targeted by cybercriminals due to their valuable data and relative lack of cybersecurity protocols [1]. Many smaller companies still have not taken the threat of cybercrime seriously. In fact, 51% of small businesses have not dedicated any resources to cybersecurity [2]. In 2021, a year full of cybercrime and ransomware attacks, that’s a recipe for disaster.

Ransomware and data breaches can affect anyone from first-year law students to senior executives. Of course, large companies have sizable cybersecurity operations, so if cybercriminals strike, they’re prepared. For small businesses and firms, however, it’s up to individuals to protect themselves and their clients. Thankfully, there are easy, inexpensive ways for smaller companies to keep themselves safe from cybercrime.

Secure Passwords

Many of us are guilty of using the same password for multiple accounts. It’s perfectly logical to reuse passwords sometimes when we have hundreds of online accounts for various businesses, social media sites and software. However, using just one password for all your accounts can be disastrous, especially if your work passwords are reused. Think about it: If your Facebook password is leaked, and you have the same password for every account, in effect, all your accounts are leaked. While you don’t need unique, thirty-character-long passwords for every account, ensuring that your passwords are varied and strong keeps your most important data safe. Having one of your passwords leaked is bad, but manageable; having all of your passwords leaked is catastrophic.

Cyber Insurance

Cybercrime can still occur even when precautions have been taken. That’s why it may be smart to invest in a relatively new insurance offering, cyber insurance. Many large corporations utilize cyber insurance to minimize the financial risk of a data breach. In fact, after Target’s 2013 data breach, cyber insurance covered USD $90 million of the total damages [3]. For smaller businesses and law firms, one cyberattack could be financially devastating enough to shutter doors permanently. It is a significant investment, but cyber insurance could pay off in the long term.

Ethical Hackers

One of the quickest, easiest ways to determine if your small firm has a security hole is to hire a white hat, or ethical, hacker. The job of a white hat hacker is to breach a company’s computer system, but with permission. Once the hacker gains access to the system, they can snoop around, looking for vulnerabilities. If a vulnerability is found, they simply tell the company and potentially fix it. While the idea of letting a stranger into your computer systems may sound frightening, this process is one of the best ways to prepare for cybercrime. After all, if you find and patch the vulnerabilities, there isn’t much a cybercriminal can do to your business.

Of course, ethical hackers don’t come cheap, and the more experienced an ethical hacker is, the higher the cost. Big corporations have paid from USD $1,000 to USD $15,000 for white hat hackers to breach their computer systems and look for security vulnerabilities [4]. While hiring or contracting an ethical hacker can be a large investment, there’s no better way to determine if your firm is prepared for a cybercriminal attack.

Culture of Security

In addition to paid solutions, a free technique to protect you and your firm’s cybersecurity is to encourage a culture of security. This means updating your software often, using encryption, and being knowledgeable about modern technology and its risks. First, updating your software is one of the easiest ways to minimize the risk of cybercrime. In fact, the infamous Equifax data breach of 2017 occurred because Equifax simply forgot to update its security software when a vulnerability was detected [5]. Keeping software up-to-date is one of the simplest ways to keep yourself and your firm protected. Next, using encryption is an inexpensive, useful tool to keep your documents safe from data breaches. If your documents are unencrypted, cybercriminals have easy access to your most vital files. Encryption provides an extra layer of security that keeps your documents safe from data breaches and leaks.

Finally, cybersecurity education is the largest part of a culture of security. When everyone is aware of cybersecurity risks like phishing scams and the danger of public Wi-Fi, the risk of cybercrime is minimized. Simply informing your friends and coworkers about modern cybersecurity risks helps cultivate a culture of security that helps you (and your clients) stay safe from cybercrime. Simply put, staying informed on cybersecurity is a long-term, effective solution to minimize the risk of ransomware attacks and data breaches.

Backup Your Data

Whether you’re a thirty-year veteran at a firm or just starting your first job in the workforce, backing up your data offline could be the most important strategy on this list. Security vulnerabilities and cybercriminals pose a threat to cloud-based files. If you get locked out of this online data by cybercriminals, you’ll be forced to either pay a hefty ransom or lose all of your online files. The solution? Simply backup your documents offline. And don’t do it just once! At least monthly, copy your files to an offline hard drive. Backing up your documents offline ensures that you, or your firm, are able to continue working even if a cyberattack hits.

Try AXEL Go

If you’re ready to start creating your culture of security, try AXEL Go. AXEL Go is a cloud file-sharing software with an unwavering focus on privacy. AXEL Go lets employees and students share, store, and collect documents securely, all in a simple, easy-to-understand user interface. Offering military-grade encryption, blockchain technology, and decentralized servers, AXEL Go offers the perfect pairing of simplicity and stringent security. To try AXEL Go free for two weeks, click here.

[1] Shankar, AJ. “Council Post: Ransomware Attackers Take Aim at Law Firms.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, March 11, 2021. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2021/03/12/ransomware-attackers-take-aim-at-aw-firms/

[2] Knutson, Ted. “Small Businesses Bearing Brunt of Ransomware Attacks, Senate Told.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, July 28, 2021. https://www.forbes.com/sites/tedknutson/2021/07/27/small-businesses-bearing-brunt-of-ransomware-attacks-senate-told/?sh=705864499556

[3] Newman, Craig. “Target’s Cyber Insurance: A $100 Million Policy vs. $300 Million (so Far) in Costs.” Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, January 16, 2019. https://www.pbwt.com/data-security-law-blog/targets-cyber-insurance-a-100-million-policy-vs-300-million-so-far-in-costs/

[4] Fazzini, Kate. “Some Freelance Hackers Can Get Paid $500,000 a Year to Test Defenses of Companies like Tesla.” CNBC. CNBC, December 13, 2018. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/12/freelance-hackers-get-paid-to-test-the-defenses-of-firms-like-tesla.html

[5] Ng, Alfred. “How the Equifax Hack Happened, and What Still Needs to Be Done.” CNET. CNET, September 7, 2018. https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/equifaxs-hack-one-year-later-a-look-back-at-how-it-happened-and-whats-changed/

Common Pitfalls when Attorneys Adopt New Technology

The legal industry faces unique challenges to the adoption of new technology and digital transformation efforts. This article will discuss the most typical obstacles and introduce a framework that will help firms analyze whether a new tech solution is likely to integrate successfully.

Impediments to technological progress in the legal sector

Time investment. As you likely know, being an attorney isn’t a regular 9-5 job. A recent survey claims lawyers work an average of 66 hours per week[1]. That’s like a typical full-time and part-time job combined. So, all but the largest firms with dedicated IT teams can’t afford to spend too much time implementing new technology. Small firms and solo practitioners simply don’t have the resources to research, test, and deploy complex tech solutions.

Cybersecurity and confidentiality concerns. Legal professionals have needs that go above and beyond the average office worker when it comes to digitization. Due to attorney-client privilege and the ethical responsibility to maintain data security, attorneys need to be extra careful when upgrading their technology. They may have to look for approved ‘legal tech’ solutions when off-the-shelf consumer products don’t meet these standards.

The “billable hour” issue. Although there may be a shift in billing practices in a few firms, most still rely on the time-tested “billable hour” method. It may seem like a paradox, but the increase in efficiency new tech can bring might actually reduce a firm’s profitability due to fewer billable hours plus the cost (initial and ongoing) of the technology itself. While an increase in clients due to more free time could offset this problem, the demand for legal services, especially in less populated regions, probably won’t rise at the same rate.

The partnership model. The traditional hierarchy of law firms puts the “partners” at the top. Depending on the organization’s size, many decision-makers would need to approve any new legal tech initiative. This alone makes it an uphill battle, but add in the fact that partners tend to be older people who may not see technological advancement as a priority, and it becomes a serious deterrent. Obviously, this is a much more significant obstacle at larger firms, but any practice will multiple partners could face a difficult situation.

The “ignorance is bliss” dilemma. Solo practitioners and small firms don’t have the resources of their more massive brethren. This means that tech policies and solutions mega-firms implement have a hard time trickling down. Unfortunately, this can lead to solo practitioners developing an “ignorhttps://www.axel.org/the-10-worst-data-breaches-of-the-decade/ance is bliss” mantra, even if they don’t necessarily believe that to be the case.

For example, whereas large organizations may completely ban the use of insecure applications such as Dropbox for confidential file transfer or storage, smaller practices could still use them due to familiarity. They don’t search out current best practices for data storage because they may fear switching and disrupting their workflow.

While this is an understandable reaction, we urge attorneys to push through this bias for their own sake. After all, if a serious data breach occurs and the lawyer has not lived up to their ethical responsibilities, it becomes an even worse situation.

The innovation-decision process

We recommend running through the innovation-decision process before making conclusions about a particular technology’s viability for your firm. This process goes as follows:

  1. Assess comparative advantage. Does the new technology offer a substantial upgrade to your current systems? Define these advantages and review the overall impact they will have.
  2. Analyze compatibility. Does the solution fit into your existing workflow? If not, what resources will you need to allocate to adapt your business practices?
  3. Consider complexity. If you do need to adapt, calculate the cost-benefit analysis (not just financial, but also psychological) of doing so. Will it be a complicated endeavor? Do the results outweigh these complexities?
  4. Evaluate trialability. See if the vendor offers any sort of trial or demo. You can test out the solution, receive critical feedback and preliminary effectiveness metrics before committing to the entire project.

If you go through this process and discern that the tech is worth using, you will be much more confident in the solution and have a greater chance for success.

Your firm and AXEL Go

While the decision will still be challenging in many instances, sometimes the Universe serves up a no-brainer. AXEL Go is a secure, private file-sharing and cloud storage solution that overcomes the common obstacles and scores well on the innovation-decision process.

With the sudden shift toward working remotely, many attorneys find themselves in need of an easy-to-use file-sharing application that can fit seamlessly into their legacy workflow while providing more robust data security. AXEL Go is the perfect solution for any such lawyer. It has many innovative advantages, including:

  • Industry-leading security. AXEL Go runs on a secure, decentralized network that features blockchain integration and file encryption. Documents stored on the network go through a process of “digital shredding,” where only the uploader and recipient (if there is one) have access to the complete file.
  • Secure Fetch. Think of it as a digital courier. You send a secure, encrypted link to a recipient and request certain sensitive documents. They upload the necessary files, and you receive a notification for download. Recipients do not need AXEL Go accounts, meaning you don’t have to badger clients or colleagues to sign up for new services or software. You get to meet data security guidelines without any hassle or inconvenience.
  • Microsoft Outlook integration. You can now send confidential data via email without having to rely on insecure attachments. Using our Outlook plugin, you can send fortified AXEL Go links directly in an email with the click of a button. It’s a simple process that fits within traditional workflows.

With partnerships with the State Bars of states such as Connecticut, Florida, Nevada, and Georgia, it’s fair to say the legal community sees the unique value proposition AXEL Go offers.

According to a 2021 survey by ALM[2], 56% of legal teams consider “data privacy and security” as their primary focus for 2021. It makes sense when you understand the high probability of attempted hacks and data breaches every firm faces today. Don’t just wait around waiting for the inevitable. Be proactive and protect your most sensitive information with AXEL Go.

If you’re interested in seeing it in action, you can enjoy a completely unlocked trial of our Premium service for 14-days. Sign up today and see the AXEL Go difference for yourself.

[1] “How Many Hours A Week Does A Lawyer Work?”, careerigniter.com, https://www.careerigniter.com/questions/how-many-hours-a-week-does-a-lawyer-work/

[2] “What Do Legal Professionals Expect From 2021?”, Mitratech.com, 2021, https://mitratech.com/resource-hub/whitepapers/alm-survey-legal-tech-plans-2021/

AXEL Go Receives Update with “Secure Fetch” Feature

AXEL developers never stop coming up with ways to improve our privacy-focused file-sharing platform. Sometimes, we wonder when they have time to sleep! They must dream of computer code.

Snooze schedules aside, they’ve outdone themselves with the latest addition to AXEL Go. The feature is called Secure Fetch, and it allows anyone to share on our secure network.

Now, AXEL Go users can request files from anybody -even those that do not have AXEL accounts. All they have to do is send a Secure Fetch to the intended recipient. It’s an open link the recipient clicks. They then upload the requested documents and send them back safely and privately.

Finally, you can stop relying on dodgy email attachments and insecure cloud services to get the files you need. We like to think of it as a digital courier service. Except our couriers don’t stop off for a latte on the way to retrieve your confidential materials.

A feature for professionals

Secure Fetch is an excellent way for professionals to receive documents from clients and colleagues. The ease of use, the flexibility to send anyone a request, and the secure nature of the underlying file-transfer program make it the best choice. Everyone can take advantage of the three remarkable technologies that make AXEL Go an industry leader in data protection.

First, AXEL Go utilizes a decentralized network of servers throughout the world. We call these servers Masternodes, and they use the IPFS protocol to enact peer-to-peer file transfers. The IPFS has significant advantages over traditional HTTP, such as better performance, persistent availability, higher data integrity levels, and decreased likelihood of duplicate content.

The second technological pillar of AXEL Go is blockchain. Known for its inherent security and transparency, blockchain was an obvious inclusion to our platform. Our blockchain produces the AXEL Tokens needed to fuel shares throughout the network. Timestamps are added to each block so that transactions are stored immutably by date. This allows for simple verification of all transfers while keeping files private. It’s the best of both worlds.

The third component of our secure network is optional encryption. When sharing, the sender can password protect the files with AES-256 bit encryption. It is a robust encryption algorithm that safeguards your documents from unwanted viewers.

Using all three in conjunction makes AXEL Go the best way to send files securely and confidentially. Secure Fetch is a bridge that allows non-tech-savvy individuals to gain the benefits of AXEL Go without signing up for an account. We recommend all AXEL Go users to make good use of this revolutionary new feature.

Try it now

AXEL Go is available on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices. If you’re interested in sharing and storing securely wherever, whenever, try it out today. Sign up for our free, full-featured Basic account and receive 2GB of private storage with enough AXEL tokens to fuel thousands of shares.

Keeping Up in Court

It’s the day before the big hearing.  The Motion was perfect; Opposition just ok – no surprises, and your Reply crushed it.  This is the second time you will be arguing your Summary Judgment Motion.  A Rule 56(f) Opposition carried the day six months ago; but it’s more than ripe this time around.

You sit down to download all three pleadings to your iPad; with exhibits they total about a foot-thick of paper.  But, in PDF format, the files are too big for the storage left on the device.  To make matters worse, you wanted to download a few other things for the hearing as well – their Opposition from the last hearing (since it makes a few arguments that help you this time around), the latest round of discovery responses (a perfect Interrogatory answer from their CIO exists), and a bunch of photos of your client’s product and their infringing product that your expert just testified to at his deposition last week.

The next two hours are spent deciding if you really need all the exhibits to the pleadings, what else you really need, and considering what you could take off your iPad.  WASTED TIME and ADDED STRESS.   As if you need either of those on the day before the hearing.  Finally, you decide to leave the Opposition exhibits and the new expert photos off the download, and remove a few unrelated things from the iPad and off you go.

Let’s take the worst-case scenario, and play it out.  During argument opposing counsel brings up a document from her exhibits – that you did not think was important enough to address in your outline – and it’s not on your iPad.  She also talks for a while about your expert’s deposition and two of his photos – which you don’t have either.

As prepared and articulate as you may be, you simply cannot address the nuances of her arguments on those three pieces of evidence since they are not right in front of you.  Motion DENIED.

I understand that in this hypothetical you could have hand-carried the documents to court.  But the point is, even when we carry twelve inches of material to court and/or download all the related pleadings, every now-and-then a question is asked or argument made related to a document we just did not have.  Sure, sometimes the judge will give us more time to address the evidence, but would it not be better to just have access to your entire case file – no matter how big?

This scenario happened to me a few times in my 18 years of litigation.  Sure, there was more than one time where I simply forgot to grab part of the file on the way to court.  But far more often, opposing counsel would bring up something completely unrelated to the issue, or from a prior hearing or long-ago completed discovery.  Every now and then, a judge would ask for something very specific or something silly like a date of service on Interrogatory packet #3.  In these instances the ability to access all your documents can be the difference between winning or losing your case. It’s important for any attorney to do their research on finding the best file management tools to ensure they have the important information on hand at all times.