Professional Services Accounting ARTICLE -

Tech Matters: Are Your Attorneys Safe On The Road?

Target Audience: Legal Professionals, Professional Service Firms, Law Firm Partners, Law Firm Accounting

Technological advances in the past decade or so have changed the way many lawyers do their jobs. You can check e-mail from the courthouse, text colleagues from a client meeting and access documents on your firm’s network from the airport.

With so many “cans,” it’s easy to forget to ask whether you always should. Unless you adhere to some basic security protocols, you may be putting confidential (including privileged) information at risk every time you hit the road with your smartphone. That’s why your firm needs a remote technology security policy.

Best practices

When drafting your firm’s policy, consider how your attorneys and staff work (for example, do they often telecommute or work from client sites?), the equipment they use and your firm’s technology capabilities. Most firms with IT personnel have a virtual private network that enables remote network access, while many smaller firms use third-party network access tools. Each calls for different security practices.

Your policy also should address some universal security risks:

Home access. When logging into the firm’s e-mail server or network from home, users must protect the connection with a strong password. Their computer’s firewall must be enabled and its virus protection software should be up-to-date. Also, they should take reasonable precautions to ensure that family members can’t access client documents or your firm’s network.

WiFi networks. When using public WiFi networks (such as those in airports and coffee shops), users should change their device’s firewall to the highest setting that still enables Web browsing and the receipt of e-mails.

Webmail. Users must exercise caution when using webmail accounts (such as Gmail or Yahoo) because standard HTTP connections aren’t secure. They should use webmail for confidential communications only when an encrypted HTTPS channel is available.

Instant messaging (IM). Users shouldn’t use IM for any confidential communication. Most IM text is transmitted without encryption, making it vulnerable to interception.

Public computers. Users should avoid using computers set up in conference centers or hotels for public use. Fraud perpetrators may have installed spyware programs on them that can capture user names and passwords.

Keeping up

You’ll need to review and update your remote technology use policy frequently as new devices and applications become available. Currently, many law firms are beginning to use cloud-based computing, which enables them to store data and software offsite (rather than on a local server) and access them online from anywhere.

Some have legitimate concerns about the security of cloud applications. But cloud proponents contend that it’s no more dangerous than storing data on the typical home or workplace computer. You’ll need to weigh the benefits and drawbacks for your firm, but, if you do seek cloud services, look for providers that offer strong password protection and document encryption.

Take care

Thanks to recent quantum leaps in communications technology, lawyers can be just as productive at home or on the road as they are in the office. But with technology comes great responsibility. Ensure your firm’s attorneys take care to keep confidential information confidential.

Find out how our expertise in professional services accounting can add value to your business. Email us or call us at 1 (888) 875-9770.

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