If 2017 was considered the “year of the data breach” as the number of incidents hit a new record high of 1,579, 2018 might get even more serious. Just a little more than halfway through 2018, the number and scale of data breaches that have already been reported is staggering.
Earlier this summer a group of security-minded executives in Chicago, long a hub for legal and financial tech, sat down for a panel discussion on anticipating and combatting cybercrime.
A survey of more than 160 law firm executives (from medium to large firms) found that law firms are among some of the highest spenders on security yet were susceptible to some of the most common risks. And the issue will grow over the coming years as the demands of the business drive the adoption of emerging technologies, such as cloud and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Cloud service providers to the federal government must meet the rigorous requirements of the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program. FedRAMP, as it's known, is designed to help federal agencies follow the government's “cloud first” policy, and includes detailed and strict encryption and other cybersecurity requirements.
As more and more data is in blockchains, attorneys will have to interact with it. Blockchain will also become part of litigation without being the central focus as systems move to blockchain implementation. Attorneys will have to take note.
Cases from early 2018 that stand above many others for the impact they will have on both sanctions and e-discovery review processes moving forward.
The entertainment industry is intensely focused on data collection and analytics as it seeks to maximize the exploitation of digital content. Just as those of us in the privacy field had begun to have a slight breather as much of the heavy lifting on the GDPR was finally behind us, lawmakers in California have passed the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA).
Ostensibly, GDPR's mission is to strengthen and unify the EU's protection of online privacy rights and promote data protection for citizens of the 28 countries currently in the EU. In the global economy, however, GDPR serves as an alarm to all countries with business flowing across Europe and well beyond. Where business flows, data follow.
Cybersecurity concerns are akin to health concerns. You can practice a healthy lifestyle; you can get regular medical check-ups; you can be vigilant in monitoring your own body. Still, the question remains, “How do I know I'm healthy?” The answer is, “You don't.”
