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NotPetya Hits Law Firms: Why It Matters

Posted: June 30, 2017 to Cybersecurity.

Tags: Ransomware, Data Breach, Compliance

The big news of the week in the cybersecurity world was the NotPetya ransomware pandemic, which hit lots of sectors in lots of countries. One of the victims was DLA Piper, a global corporate lawyer. DLA Piper has thousands of lawyers around the world and represents a number of large corporations, so having their system infected with ransomware has impacted business litigation, which could have a trickle-down effect on financial sectors. For example, if two companies are working on a merger and the important documents are inaccessible due to ransomware, the merger process effectively comes to a standstill. The merger can't go forward without starting from scratch. While the medical field has seen a huge share of cyberattacks in recent years, cybersecurity experts and analysts have long warned that law firms are another ripe sector for hackers. Law firms have all kinds of private, sensitive data, including details about their clients, trade secrets, potential deals between businesses, and more. Current law doesn't require the stringent security you see in the medical and financial fields, nor do most law firms have the financial resources to invest as much into cybersecurity as some of their clients do. That said, with the hacking forecast for law firms being what it is, it would behoove law firms of all sizes to get ahead of the game and start taking cybersecurity seriously.

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About the Author

Craig Petronella, CEO and Founder of Petronella Technology Group
CEO, Founder & AI Architect, Petronella Technology Group

Craig Petronella founded Petronella Technology Group in 2002 and has spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, compliance, and digital forensics. He holds the CMMC Registered Practitioner credential (RP-1372) issued by the Cyber AB, is an NC Licensed Digital Forensics Examiner (License #604180-DFE), and completed MIT Professional Education programs in AI, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity. Craig also holds CompTIA Security+, CCNA, and Hyperledger certifications.

He is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling Author of 15+ books on cybersecurity and compliance, host of the Encrypted Ambition podcast (95+ episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon), and a cybersecurity keynote speaker with 200+ engagements at conferences, law firms, and corporate boardrooms. Craig serves as Contributing Editor for Cybersecurity at NC Triangle Attorney at Law Magazine and is a guest lecturer at NCCU School of Law. He has served as a digital forensics expert witness in federal and state court cases involving cybercrime, cryptocurrency fraud, SIM-swap attacks, and data breaches.

Under his leadership, Petronella Technology Group has served 2,500+ clients, maintained a zero-breach record among compliant clients, earned a BBB A+ rating every year since 2003, and been featured as a cybersecurity authority on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and WRAL. The company leverages SOC 2 Type II certified platforms and specializes in AI implementation, managed cybersecurity, CMMC/HIPAA/SOC 2 compliance, and digital forensics for businesses across the United States.

CMMC-RP NC Licensed DFE MIT Certified CompTIA Security+ Expert Witness 15+ Books
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