Security

Technology evolves rapidly, and unfortunately security threats evolve right along with it.  To keep your firm’s technology–and your clients’ data–safe, it’s important to keep your software up-to-date and to stay informed about the latest security threats. Thankfully, staying ahead of the security curve doesn’t require a computer science degree.  It can be as simple as bookmarking a few useful blogs …

One of the great attractions of social media and the cloud is the ease with which we can combine tools and expand functionality. With a few clicks, you can link social networking profiles from two different sites, or use your login information from one service to access another. Perhaps you have Twitter feeding automatically to your LinkedIn profile, or you’ve …

We were actually surprised to hear this question when we lectured last week at the Indiana Bar’s Solo and Small Firm Conference. It’s not surprising that large firms feel the need to archive postings, but it was striking that a solo attorney should feel the need. Not only did a member of the audience bring up the possible ethical need …

By now, most lawyers have at least a passing familiarity with the term “metadata,” which refers to the hidden layer of information embedded in most electronic documents.  Metadata is often described as “data about data” because it largely consists of information regarding a document’s origins, including who created it, when it was last opened, and what software was used. But …

Moving your practice into “the cloud,” whether that involves a single application or all of your firm’s data, is not for everybody. But if you’re one of the many practitioners who have decided that there’s a compelling business case for employing cloud computing, it’s important that you do the appropriate research—and ask the relevant questions—to make sure you’re using a …

Technology blogs and news sites lit up this morning with news that millions of LinkedIn passwords had reportedly been leaked online.  According to The Verge: A user in a Russian forum is claiming to have hacked LinkedIn to the tune of almost 6.5 million account details. The user uploaded 6,458,020 hashed passwords, but no usernames. It’s not clear if they …

John and I loathe BYOD. It is a security nightmare. While most business agree, many have felt compelled to embrace BYOD (bring your own device) because, frankly, employees (and sometimes senior management) demanded it. Reading the story of IBM’s experience with BYOD is unnerving. It is sometimes argued that BYOD will save a company money. IBM’s CIO, Jeanette Horan, says it …

If you’re going to use a Smartphone, having the ability to remotely wipe it is essential. With remote wiping, if your device goes missing–whether via theft or simply by losing it–you can quickly take steps to erase all data from that device. Remote wiping requires that the device be connected to the service provider’s network, so it’s important to do …

Technology used to be firmly anchored in the office: bulky desktop computers, closet-filling servers, fax machines, and so forth. But as laptops have surged in popularity, and new technology like smartphones and tablets have emerged, lawyers are increasingly carrying their technology–and their clients’ data–with them outsideof the office. So how can you secure your technology on the go? Here are a …