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Franchise Companies vs. Hackers: Twenty Questions on Cybercrime
The 21st century is clearly the age of cybercrime, and franchise companies should be especially concerned because, simplistically, there are only two types of computer systems: those that have been hacked, and those that will be hacked. Franchise companies are uniquely vulnerable in two areas because they possess massive collections of personally identifiable information (“PII”), and they have substantial asset bases of intangible property. Both the PII and the intangible assets can be easily copied without leaving the premises. Any transaction involving a card with a magnetic strip involves risk, and any franchise company's computer system designed to allow access to multiple users (such as franchisees, vendors, suppliers, etc.) poses an enormous risk of being penetrated. All companies using e-mail or the Internet are vulnerable; firewalls offer no protection once a hacker has infiltrated.
And things are going to get worse. Speaking to the BBC for a report on technology, Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at F-Secure, an IT security firm based in Helsinki, Finland, said last year, “Crime tends to rise when you have more unemployment. If you look, in general, where the attacks are coming from you can find social reasons behind them.” Experts at the 2009 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, called for a new system to tackle well-organized gangs of cybercriminals, and they claimed that online theft costs $1 trillion a year, that the number of attacks is rising sharply, and that too many people do not know how to protect themselves.
The Article 8 Opt In
The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.
Beach Boys Songs Written Decades Ago Triggered Current Quarrel With Lawyers
There's current litigation in the ongoing Beach Boys litigation saga. A lawsuit filed in 2019 against Nevada residents Mike Love and his wife Jacquelyne in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada that alleges inaccurate payment by the Loves under the retainer agreement and seeks $84.5 million in damages.
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws
This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.
Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin
With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.
Transfer Tax Implications on Real Property Leases
The real property transfer tax does not apply to all leases, and understanding the tax rules of the applicable jurisdiction can allow parties to plan ahead to avoid unnecessary tax liability.