Welcome to another edition of the Infoguard Cybersecurity Newsletter.
As cybercriminals evolve their tactics using AI and automation, law firms have become a prime target. In this issue, we break down the latest cyber threat trends, explain why having a dedicated cybersecurity program is no longer optional, and highlight how tools like SIEM can give your firm a much-needed defense edge.
Threat Alert: Hackers Are Using AI and New Tech to Target Law Firms
Hackers are no longer relying solely on old-school methods like brute force attacks or phishing emails written in broken English. Instead, they are tapping into AI-powered tools, automated scanning systems, and commercial-grade attack kits to break into organizations faster and more effectively, with law firms being squarely in their sights.
Why Are Law Firms at Higher Risk?
Law firms are attractive targets because they:
⚖ Handle sensitive client data (including financial records, trade secrets, and personal information).
⚖ Manage large volumes of confidential contracts, intellectual property, and case files.
⚖ Rely on digital systems, remote work setups, and cloud services, all of which increase attack surfaces.
⚖ Are often under pressure to meet tight deadlines, making staff more susceptible to rushed or impulsive decisions when faced with phishing or social engineering.
In short, law firms hold high-value data but often have limited cybersecurity resources compared to larger corporations. This makes them a perfect target for adversaries using cutting-edge attack methods.
The Rise of AI-Powered Cybercrime
Tools like WormGPT and FraudGPT (AI text generators) allow attackers to create hyper-convincing phishing emails, fake legal documents, or impersonation attempts.
Other AI-driven technologies like DeepFaceLab and Faceswap enable the creation of deepfake videos or images, potentially used to impersonate senior partners, clients, or opposing counsel.
Imagine receiving a video or call that appears to be from a managing partner authorizing a wire transfer or document release, but it’s completely fabricated.
On top of that, commercial AI phishing kits like Robin Banks and EvilProxy make it easy for even non-technical criminals to launch sophisticated attacks that bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA) and security filters.
This means the barrier to entry has collapsed. Even low-level attackers can now access tools that let them scale attacks rapidly and convincingly.
The Automated Scanning Tsunami
One of the most worrying insights from the report is the explosive rise of automated scanning.
Attackers are now scanning the internet for vulnerable systems at a rate of 36,000 scans per second (billions per month). Tools like SIPVicious and other commercial scanning software are probing for weaknesses before firms even have time to apply critical patches.
This “left-of-boom” approach (acting before a breach point) signals a major shift in adversary strategy:
✔ They are automating reconnaissance
✔ Compressing the time between vulnerability discovery and exploitation
✔ Systematically dismantling the traditional defensive advantage law firms have relied on
In practical terms, this leaves law firm IT teams with less time to react, sometimes mere hours before attackers exploit newly disclosed vulnerabilities.
What Should Law Firms Do?
Given these escalating risks, law offices must rethink their defense posture.
Here’s what Infoguard recommends:
- Adopt a zero-trust approach — Assume no user or system is inherently trustworthy. Continuously verify identities and limit access to sensitive data.
- Speed up patch management — Shorten the window between vulnerability disclosure and system updates. Consider automated patching where possible.
- Harden your MFA — Standard MFA can now be bypassed by advanced phishing kits. Upgrade to phishing-resistant MFA solutions like hardware security keys.
- Invest in AI-powered defenses — Just as attackers use AI, defenders need AI-enabled tools to detect anomalies, block suspicious activity, and predict attack patterns.
- Train your staff aggressively — Lawyers and staff are often the first line of defense. Regular phishing simulations, deepfake awareness sessions, and threat updates are essential.
- Conduct regular red team testing — Work with cybersecurity partners to simulate attacks on your systems and expose hidden weaknesses before real attackers find them.
Why Law Firms Must Have a Cybersecurity Program
Law firms are guardians of highly sensitive data, from confidential client communications to privileged legal strategies, financial records, intellectual property, and sometimes even government secrets. A breach not only exposes this data but shatters the trust clients place in their legal advisors.
Without a formal cybersecurity program in place, law offices risk violating attorney-client privilege, facing ethical complaints, and permanently damaging their reputation. Today’s clients, especially in corporate and high-stakes matters, increasingly expect their law firms to demonstrate robust security measures as part of doing business.
Second, hackers are drawn to law firms because they offer a wealth of valuable information. Yet many firms, especially small and midsize practices, lack the cybersecurity maturity seen in other sectors like finance or healthcare.
With attackers now using advanced tools like AI-driven phishing kits and automated scanning, law firms without a formal cybersecurity program are sitting ducks.
Without a structured plan, firms can’t keep up with patching, threat monitoring, or incident response, leaving them dangerously exposed to ransomware, data theft, or business email compromise.
Plus, failing to invest in cybersecurity can lead to devastating legal consequences.
Firms handling data protected under regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or state privacy laws may face hefty fines and lawsuits in the event of a breach. Additionally, the ABA Model Rules impose ethical obligations that require lawyers to take reasonable measures to protect client data.
A cybersecurity program ensures the firm has clear policies, staff training, access controls, and incident response protocols, all of which are critical elements for legal and ethical compliance.
It also helps law offices prepare for inevitable incidents, minimizing downtime, reducing financial loss, and preserving client confidence. It also positions the firm as a trusted, reliable partner in the eyes of clients and regulators.
In an increasingly digital legal market, firms that can demonstrate proactive cybersecurity measures stand out as secure custodians of their clients’ most sensitive matters.
Security Information and Events Monitoring/Management (SIEM) for Law Firms
For law firms, knowing what’s happening inside their digital environment at any given moment is essential. Security Information and Event Monitoring (SIEM) systems collect and analyze data from across the firm’s network, be it servers, workstations, cloud applications, or firewalls to detect suspicious activity in real time.
Without a SIEM system in place, law firms operate in the dark, unable to spot early warning signs of a cyberattack or recognize the quiet red flags that their networks may have already been compromised. SIEM offers that crucial, centralized visibility that allows firms to stay on top of their security posture 24/7.
Modern cyberattacks are stealthy, often bypassing traditional security tools like antivirus or firewalls. SIEM tools leverage advanced analytics, correlation rules, and threat intelligence to piece together seemingly unrelated events, such as multiple failed logins, suspicious file transfers, or access from unusual locations, and flag them as potential threats.
This means faster detection of ransomware attempts, insider threats, credential abuse, and phishing attacks before they escalate into full-blown breaches. A well-configured SIEM system can shorten the window between intrusion and response, reducing potential damage dramatically.
Law firms operate under a web of compliance obligations.
SIEM plays a crucial role here by maintaining detailed logs and providing forensic records of security events. In the event of an incident, SIEM enables the firm to trace what happened, when, and how. This is critical for containment and recovery in addition to reporting obligations and demonstrating due diligence to clients, regulators, or courts.
Many small and midsize law firms lack the internal resources to deploy and monitor SIEM tools on their own. That’s where managed SIEM services come in. Partnering with a trusted cybersecurity provider allows firms to access enterprise-level monitoring, expertise, and threat intelligence without building an in-house security operations center.
A managed SIEM provider ensures continuous surveillance, fine-tunes detection rules, and helps the firm respond to threats in real time. For attorneys, this means peace of mind, improved security outcomes, and the ability to focus on their legal work while leaving complex cybersecurity management to the experts.
Stay informed, invest in proactive cybersecurity measures, and partner with trusted experts to keep your law firm ahead of the evolving, advanced threats.
👉 Visit Infoguard’s website for detailed cybersecurity services and solutions designed specifically for law firms.
If you found this newsletter valuable, please share it with your colleagues and peers because when one law firm strengthens its defenses, the entire legal community becomes safer.
Best regards,
