Law Firms are facing tough realities regarding
cybersecurity. It doesn’t matter how big your firm is, where it is
located or what areas of law are practiced; you need to be prepared for
anything. Technology creates opportunity. The fact that every law firm
employee is a knowledge worker using advanced technology increases our target
size. The design, management and awareness of technology creates
security. Perform poorly in any of these areas and you are putting your
firm at risk.
As I reflect on another wonderful LegalSEC Summit, I’m
encouraged by the growth and awareness in our sector. A few years ago we were
talking about the basic blocking and tackling of cybersecurity. We discussed
antivirus products, device encryption and defense-in-depth. This year the
conversations were on a higher level focusing on complicated topics like data classification,
threat intelligence and incident response. We even tested and
talked through our thought processes in a tabletop exercise and ventured into
the Internet of Things.
During my discussions with attendees I heard recurring
themes about vendor management, data visualizations tools (using some
interesting metrics like patches per application) and a resurgence of risk
management. We were awed by Bro and we learned about opportunities
to predict the cost of data breaches. We uncovered tangible ways to
measure our progress and put metrics in the hands of management.
The concepts of success (hitting a target) and mastery
(consistently hitting the target) are critical in cybersecurity. As firms
mature their programs and address gaps not only does a firm become more secure,
the business becomes stronger and more resilient. We can thank the
intruders for helping us focus our efforts and build stronger businesses;
challenging us to strive for mastery in our craft.
It was another great event, and I thank all who contributed
their experience and time to help pull it off. Our attendance was up 20%
and many asked for even more next year. As we rise to the challenges we face in
our daily jobs, it’s wonderful to have an organization like ILTA where we can
all learn from one another.