May 2017 - Digital Pathways

GDPR: Are You Ready?

Having recently attended Legalex, the UK’s largest legal event for lawyers and law firms, it is clear the sector is not fully prepared for the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) due to come into effect in May 2018.

During round table discussions about the preparations firms are making in advance of the GDPR, responses ranged from firms only beginning to consider the impact it will have, to those who haven’t thought about it, or who are adopting a wait and see approach.

In just over a year’s time, when the new regulations are implemented, the consequences of failing to adhere will be severe, and ignorance will not be an excuse. Read more

CYBER SECURITY PRIORITIES FOR 2017

Cyber security is generally agreed upon as a protection of electronic information, the ICTs that support cyberspace. It is also protection in a number of spaces including personal, professional, and even national. Sometimes, all three of these can interconnect into a cyber nightmare because one element was vulnerable to being attacked, which in turn had a domino effect for the others. Read more

The GDPR and Everyday Breaches

In just 12 months’ time, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into effect, replacing the UK’s current Data Protection Act. These new regulations will have a significant impact on the way data is managed.

The consequences of failing to comply with the GDPR are significant, with fines of up to 4% of a company’s turnover, or €20,000,000 – whichever is larger. With the clock ticking, it has never been more important to ensure robust systems for data management are in place. Read more

Learning from a cyber attack

New research also reveals that two thirds of UK businesses have no official ransomware policy to guide employees in the event of an attack.

Organisations must protect and educate their users, says Tankard

There are many reasons organisations do not follow the latest software releases but what seems to constantly fail, is the “thought process” around protecting what you have, warns Colin Tankard, managing director of data security company, Digital Pathways.

Tankard explains that in the most recent cyber attack that affected the UK’s NHS as well as organisations around the world, the malware was delivered through spear-fishing emails which, when opened, triggered a cyber-contagion on the internal network.

Are You Protecting Your Documents With A Digital Signature?

Protecting digital documents and being able to verify that the sender of a file is, in fact, who they say they are, is fast becoming a major concern for many businesses.

Whether receiving a document from a business partner or downloading software from the Internet, the ability to verify the integrity of a file is crucial. Documents that have been tampered with, or created fraudulently, pose a serious threat. A good protection strategy is the use of a digital signature. This is a mathematical scheme for demonstrating the authenticity of a digital file.

The recipient of a document has reason to believe a known sender created it and prevents them from denying sending it, this is known as authentication and non-repudiation. Like a tamper-proof seal, it indicates that the document was not altered during delivery, its integrity was intact.

What Digital Security Measures Should You Be Thinking About as An In-House Legal Department?

If you work as part of an in-house legal department for a professional organisation, then your remit for protection is likely to be vast. Depending on the size and sector of the business, the legal work required will range from employment and contract negotiations, to commercial and marketing work. With so much compliance required to secure and safeguard companies against legal action, it is unsurprising that some protective measures fall through the cracks. Read more

Why Use A Digital Signature?

Whether receiving a document from a business partner, or downloading software from the internet, the ability to verify the integrity of a file is crucial. Documents that have been tampered with or created fraudulently pose a serious threat to any business.

A digital signature is a mathematical scheme for demonstrating the authenticity of a digital file. With a valid digital signature, the recipient of a document has reason to believe a known sender created it, and prevents them from denying sending it (authentication and non-repudiation). Like a tamper-proof seal, it also indicates that the document was not altered during delivery (integrity). Read more