According to an editorial in CIO magazine, law firms are becoming prime targets for hackers. Evidence for this abounds. The highly publicized Mossack Fonseca hack led to the release of the Panama Papers. In 2016, the offshore law firm Appleby was the target of a successful hack.
Information is such a valuable asset that criminals work hard to create nefarious tactics to steal massive amounts of personal and private data from companies while staying beyond reach. Law firms that do not have cybersecurity and data protection protocols in place are playing with fire, opening themselves up to extreme financial and reputational liabilities. Yet, even having such protections in place only diminishes the likelihood of an attack. It’s best to expect that it will happen.
Should an attack occur, a law firm must act decisively to protect its reputation. Every law firm needs guidelines for responding to a cyberattack as part of its crisis communications plan. As Jaffe’s Director of Digital Strategy Melanie Trudeau wrote in a blog post last year, “Be aware of the potential consequences of client data landing in the hands of cyber criminals. Often, the full implications of a data breach are not realized until well after the breach happens. Preparing a crisis communication plan will at least empower your firm to stay on top of a crisis.”
How can Jaffe help you with managing a data breach crisis?
Before, during or after a breach, Jaffe’s team of highly experienced crisis communicators can help you prepare and implement a plan of action to manage any fallout that might damage your reputation as a result of compromised data. Jaffe can step in as your crisis communicators, providing assistance with media training and media relations, developing and issuing statements, monitoring public opinion, and providing general counsel about how to navigate the challenging path that such a significant crisis creates.
Ready to connect? For more information about our crisis management services, contact Vivian Hood, CEO, Public Relations, at vhood@jaffepr.com.