On January 22, 2021, Global 50 Law Firm Goodwin Procter LLP alerted its staff to a data breach tied to its file-sharing vendor, Accellion. Despite running the latest version of Accellion's File Transfer Application (FTA) with proper support and maintenance, Goodwin Procter found that a small percentage of its clients’ data had been compromised. Clients whose data was directly affected were notified, and the breach was also communicated to all firm clients.
Goodwin Procter is far from alone. In recent months, Jones Day, Kroger, and Shell were also affected by the Accellion breach. As remote work and hybrid environments become the norm, law firms face increasing cyber threats. With crimeware-as-a-service (CAAS) proliferating, more firms are considering a switch to managed IT services to safeguard their digital assets.
In this article, we discuss why managed IT services could be the right move for your law firm and how they can bolster your firm’s cybersecurity and efficiency.
The modern legal environment, characterized by rapid technological advancements and digital communication, necessitates robust and comprehensive cybersecurity measures to protect against an ever-evolving array of threats. Law firms, which are entrusted with an extensive range of sensitive data including client information, financial records, and confidential legal documents, present an attractive target for cybercriminals seeking valuable and exploitable information. The frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks, ranging from insidious ransomware that can paralyze operations to data breaches that compromise client trust, have been on the rise, placing law firms under constant threat of digital intrusion and exploitation.
Moreover, the widespread shift to remote work and the increased reliance on third-party service providers for various digital functions have compounded these challenges, introducing new vulnerabilities and complexities in maintaining secure environments. This evolution has created a landscape where traditional security measures are no longer sufficient, and the need for specialized, always-on cybersecurity support has become critical. Managed IT services emerge as a vital solution, offering continuous monitoring, proactive threat detection, and expert management of cybersecurity strategies tailored to the unique needs of law firms. By leveraging these services, law firms can better safeguard their digital assets and ensure the integrity and confidentiality of their operations in a rapidly changing digital world.
Managed IT service providers specialize in managing essential digital infrastructure—such as servers, firewalls, routers, and storage devices—while also providing forward-looking strategies to secure your law firm’s technological future. Outsourcing IT support offers significant advantages over maintaining an in-house team, including increased security, lower costs, and improved efficiency.
Here are some of the key benefits of managed IT services for law firms:
At Gradient Cyber, we specialize in extending and supporting your law firm's cybersecurity team. Our analysts monitor and analyze traffic across your networks, servers, endpoints, applications, and more, identifying anomalies that could indicate a potential cybersecurity incident or compromise.
As a trusted cybersecurity partner, Gradient Cyber helps law firms enhance their cyber resilience and secure the technologies critical to their success. We provide actionable insights into emerging threats and deliver 24/7 monitoring to safeguard your firm from the next data breach.
Our total solution integrates advanced cybersecurity technology with a team of dedicated cybersecurity experts, ensuring your law firm is protected. With Gradient Cyber, you can focus on serving your clients, knowing your sensitive data is safe from evolving cyber threats.
To learn more about how we support Law Firms with our Managed Extended Detection and Response (MXDR) Services, contact us here.