5 Ways Managed Detection and Response Keeps Your Law Firm Secure

Managing a law firm in New York can be extremely challenging. In addition to the actual practice of law, you also have to prioritize attorney/client confidentiality, keep all of your client files secure, and comply with ABA and State bar rules regarding privacy. Then there are also local laws, such as New York’s SHIELD Act, which requires companies to develop and maintain safeguards to protect private information. To add insult to injury, new security threats emerge on a consistent enough basis to warrant 24/7 monitoring—and the solutions can be complex and intricate enough that they require niche expertise. Unless you’re looking to switch careers into information technology, the next practical solution would be to outsource these responsibilities to a managed detection and response service provider. 

What Is Managed Detection and Response (MDR)?

Managed Detection and Response (MDR) refers to the practice of delegating cybersecurity to industry experts who have the skills and experience necessary to adequately protect data, assess risks, and work to minimize those risks. 

Having an MDR team means significantly reducing the likelihood of malware causing havoc within your firm; and minimizing any disruptions on operations—which is crucial not only to maximize billable hours, but to also ensure that every lawsuit, answer, pleadings, and discovery request document is filed within the required deadline. 

How MDR Works

MDR works by using a variety of tools and services that can help organizations protect their data and systems from cyber threats. Solutions typically include:

• Managed firewall
• Intrusion detection and prevention (IDP)
• Malware protection 

MDR providers also offer managed services that can help organizations with incident response, forensics, and data recovery.

As a result, organizations that implement MDR solutions can expect to see improved detection of malicious activity, quicker response times to incidents, and reduced costs associated with security breaches. Therefore, they are a valuable addition to a law firm’s overall security strategy.

5 Benefits of Managed Detection and Response

There are many advantages to having a dedicated MDR team safeguarding your law firm’s documents.

1. 24/7 Security Monitoring

Cybersecurity issues can happen at any time. Cyberattacks, power outages, system failures, hacking, access by any unauthorized third parties. All of it is within MDR’s radar; and will continue to be regardless of the size of your law firm or even as your business grows. 

2. Threat Intelligence

Off the top of your head, what are the biggest cybersecurity threats your law firm could face? Maybe you think of phishing scams, have a general idea of security breaches, or maybe have a vague understanding of encryption. What about the rest of your team? Are they as sophisticated as high-end hackers? (If they are, give them a raise). 

Not only are MDR teams knowledgeable about current threats and how to handle them, they also review analytics regarding your own networks to get an accurate representation of what needs to be done to keep them safe. 

3. Threat Detection

It’s common for certain types of malware to remain dormant within a network for extended periods of time, undetected. If you fail to have continuous monitoring, you may not even realize your systems have been infected until after damage has already been done. 

In addition to monitoring your networks and devices, MDR also helps you stay updated on industry news regarding emerging, lesser-known threats—and act proactively to avoid them. 

4. Cutting-Edge Technologies

MDRs will have all of the endpoint detection and response tools required to gain adequate visibility of your network’s security. They also implement internet of things (IoT) tools, cloud-based on-demand support, and managed services best practices. They are well aware of the latest technologies specifically designed to monitor, detect, and deploy adequate responses to every single critical issue. 

5. Industry Compliance

You may be well aware of the legal industry cybersecurity and confidentiality requirements due to CLEs and State Bar newsletters. However, support staff may not have them on their radar as much as you do. In addition, even if they do, they’re not going to stay on top of everything in real time. Having an MDR team means that you don’t need to worry about whether you missed anything. Your license to practice law is safeguarded from that perspective. 

What MDR Services Include

MDR encompasses a wide array of comprehensive services to keep your networks secure. The most beneficial ones include: 

A Full Team of Experts

While you may have an in-house information technology (IT) person, it’s highly unlikely that they have all of the skills that an entire team would have. Outsourcing your managed services needs is a more cost effective solution than getting full time staff to do the work for you. 

Vulnerability Scanning

Since your networks are monitored around the clock, it doesn’t matter at what time a threat pops up. You don’t have to wait until someone finds out something is amiss the following morning. MDR services means the peace of mind that comes with knowing someone’s securing your network 365 days a year. 

Threat Response

When something goes wrong, you don’t have time to waste figuring out whom to call, what to do, and guessing which devices have been infected. You need skilled professionals to act right now. Sometimes, the threat is detected before it causes any damage. And if there’s any damage caused, they’ll be aware of local laws and regulations regarding how to go about notifying your clients. 

Containment, Eradication, and Recovery

Sometimes, damage has already been done. You can’t rewind time, but an MDR service provider can contain it to prevent it from spreading and causing additional harm. And once they eliminate the problem from your networks, they work on restoring and recovering lost data, so that you can reduce the disaster’s impact on your business operations. 

How to Select the Right MDR Service Provider for Your Legal Business

Not all MDR service providers are created equal. When researching options to keep your law firm secure, consider the following factors: 

Law Firm Experience

It’s crucial that you look for MDR service providers that have extensive experience working with law firms. They will be able to hit the ground running, without having to pause to learn about ABA and your State Bar’s requirements. They will speak your own language and understand the nuances of the profession and what you need to keep your license and your firm’s reputation. 

24/7 Service

We’ve mentioned the benefits of having around-the-clock monitoring. However, be aware that this is not always the case with every single MDR. Considering the nature of a law firm’s data, it’s essential to ensure that this component of your network security is non-negotiable. Ask them if they will monitor 24/7/365. If they don’t, move on to another provider. 

SLA Terms

Look closely at their service level agreement (SLA). You want to ensure you have as little maintenance downtime as possible. They should be able to guarantee that your systems will be up and running with no issues the vast majority of the time, and that any maintenance is performed during non-working hours. You want to inquire as to their level of support, their response time for service requests, and the scope of services. 

Where to Get Started with Managed Detection and Response Services

No matter how you look at it, it’s crucial to have a highly skilled MDR team — especially one with experience working with law firms and their unique needs. 

Converged Technology Group has an entire team of leading industry experts who are ready to assist you. You even get your own project manager to ensure that everything is done timely and that your networks are operating smoothly and securely. 

Schedule a consultation or email us to let us know about your law firm’s needs. We are ready to assist you.