Data Breach Trends and Tips for Reducing Impacts.

With increasing frequency multiple threat actors are becoming involved in a single data breach incident, encrypting systems, stealing and selling data they have accessed, and threatening to expose the fact that an organization's data was stolen. Under ABA Model Rules of Professional Responsibility, lawyers must take “reasonable efforts” to prevent unauthorized access to and disclosure of client data or they may risk sanctions, disbarment, and legal liability in the event of a data breach. Among the growing impacts of data breaches is the risk of class-action lawsuits. Companies can’t do much to prevent these lawsuits once a data breach has occurred, but they can take steps pre-event and post-event to help mitigate the consequences. When dealing with a cyberattack, lawyers should ensure that they are immediately informed, that every potential incident is taken seriously, and that a digital forensics expert is called in to verify the risk is contained [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]