10 PRACTICAL SECURITY TIPS
Sitting in the cramped quarters of an airplane
may not be the best place to pull up client matter
information. Using a privacy screen — a cover
that fits over your computer screen — can prevent
someone from looking over your shoulder.
5. EMAIL
Spam comes at us all day. Does this sound
familiar? You are focused on finalizing a document
production when an email message arrives saying
your Amazon package has shipped. Package? What
package? Did I order something? You click on the
link, and now your computer is infected with a
malicious new virus.
Most of us are often busy to the point of
distraction. This is exactly what the nefarious
ones are counting on. There are filtering products
on the market today, and no doubt your firm's IT
department is washing your email before it hits
your inbox, but malicious types are aware of this
and work to find ways to bypass filtering tools.
The smartest thing you can do to avoid this type
of attack is think before you click. If you don't
remember ordering something from the vendor,
you likely didn't. Place your mouse over the link,
and let it hover for a second. This will let you see
the link and where it wants to direct your browser.
If it's not a recognizable website, don't click. Don't
Sending credentials — the user ID/password combination —
in an unencrypted email is fraught with risk.
click any links in the message — even the support
link — as any link will likely take you to the same
infected website.
6. ACCESS CONTROLS
Getting access to discovery databases and extranet
sites comes up frequently during the course of
a matter. For example, when a new attorney or
paralegal joins the team, he or she may need to
get into the matter site to start working. This often
requires providing a user ID and password for
accessing the site. Sending credentials — the user
ID/password combination — in an unencrypted
email is fraught with risk. There's no way to know
what server that information will end up on or who
will come across the credentials as they make their
way across the Internet.
