Cyber Insecurity
Once over keeping your clients details was easy. Files in a filing cabinet, Wills in a fire proof safe and lock the Front and back door at the end of the day.
Things have moved on, the advent of the digital age brought a whole host of ways for criminals to steal not cash but now data. Why steal £500 in cash a book of stamps when you can have every client you haves personal data all stored on your PC on in a cloud based client management system. Name, address date of birth, bank account details.
Everything that they need to transfer everything from their bank account or take out massive loans in your clients name.
Locking the door will not cut it anymore. You need to make sure you lock them out of your IT infrastructure. Alot of smaller firms think they cannot afford to install a firewall or a managed It system. The fact is they cannot afford not to. Take Premier property lawyers taken down for days thousands of clients lifes put on hold a raft of complaints and possible legal action in the pipeline. Can they survive this? Imagine if it was a small one office one Practicing Solicitor, could they survive a cyber attack? would they have insurance or the technology in place to protect them, i doubt it.
Client data is to easy to steal now, so many different ways. Viruses via email, spearfishing the list goes on and on. So what can you do? Well its simple and complex at the same time. Our advice what what is is worth.
Updates updates updates. It is time to get rid of those windows XP computers, change to a still supported Operating system NOW!
A secure case management system. Using word or excel to mange your clients is a disaster waiting to happen, your client data could be wiped out in an instant. you need to use a system that keeps back ups of your client data securely
Emails if you think it is suspect treat it like it is, call the client or the other side to confirm the email is real. It has the bonus to show you take clients data protection seriously. Oh and do switch on that two factor authentication. TFA will help keep your email account more secure, email is the rotten wooden door, cyber criminals will kick it with ease to gain access to your systems.
Firewall, you can buy a basic firewall from around £100 with use of an app on your smartphone to keep and eye on your network.
Free antivirus does not cut it, you need to look at what business solutions are in your budget.
Learn, there are plenty of courses from google, Microsoft and other for free on Cyber security, take some they one take a few hours of your time. You will learn so much to help keep your business safe.
Hire an expert, find someone to manage your network, maybe even speak to other local firms to see if you buy as a group you could get a discount.