Category: Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity news and tips from the pros at The NGH Group on how attorneys can better secure their electronic data and the devices that access it—from the phones in their pockets to the computers on their desks.

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Nassau Lawyer Features Cybersecurity Guidance for Attorneys from Nick Himonidis

Attorneys generate, send, and receive a great deal of sensitive and legally privileged data. These professionals are also responsible for keeping that information safe and secure. Ultimately the firm, not the firm’s IT people, are liable if that data is accessed, stolen, or compromised in some way.

In an article for Nassau Lawyer magazine, NGH Group CEO Nick Himonidis outlines how attorneys can better secure their electronic data and the devices that access it—from the phones in their pockets to the computers on their desks. The feature story includes guidance on the following:

  • Protecting smartphones from SIM swapping attacks
  • Identifying and fortifying potential “attack surfaces” on computers
  • Securing data on cloud storage services, such as OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.
  •  … and more

With a 2022 ABA survey showing that 27% of responding attorneys and law firms reported a data breach and court cases that have found law firms liable for the safety of client data, this article provides invaluable information from a recognized industry expert. Himonidis, a recognized expert in digital forensics and cyber security, is the co-chair of the Nassau County Bar Association Cyber Law Committee.

Read the article here.

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Satisfy Mandatory Cybersecurity CLE at MatLaw Seminar

Cybersecurity and Data Security Image fron Big Stock Photo

NGH Group CEO Nicholas G. Himonidis will be a featured speaker at the Spring 2023 MatLaw Seminar, “Courtroom Evidence 2023: Selected Issues and Recurrent Problems,” on May 19 in Albany (also streaming online). The program will include a new mandatory CLE required course, “Privacy and Data Protection,” presented by Mr. Himonidis, and offers seven CLE credits.

A certified expert in cryptocurrency and an attorney himself, Mr. Himonidis has more than 30 years of experience in fraud investigations, computer forensics, and law. He is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), a Certified Computer Forensic Specialist (CCFS), one of the very few Certified Cryptocurrency Forensic Investigators (CCFI) in the United States, and he holds the Chainalysis Reactor Certification (CRC) credential.

He has been qualified in court as an expert witness in the field of Computer Forensics and the Authentication of Digital Evidence and has lectured extensively and published numerous articles on various technical, investigative, and legal topics, including accredited CLE programs on cybersecurity issues for attorneys and their clients in matrimonial litigation. He was recently appointed Co-Chair of the Nassau County Bar Association Cyber Law Committee.

The seminar will include the following:

  • The Hearsay Rule and Its Exceptions
  • Privacy and Data Protection
  • Expert Evidence: Reliability and Validity; Admissibility Standards & Issues
  • Credibility & Cross-Examination

For more information or to register, visit the event website.

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Protect Your Apple Devices from Known Security Exploits

Apple Device

According to Apple Inc. and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, vulnerabilities have recently been discovered on macOS Monterey, iOS, iPadOS and Safari browsers that could allow hackers to take control of a device’s operating system and execute arbitrary code as well as craft malicious web content.

A hacker with full administrative access to the affected operating systems and Safari browser versions pre-dating the patched versions shown below can impersonate the device owner and run any software in the device owner’s name.

Patched versions and the devices for which they are available are shown here:

 

Patched version Available for
Safari 16 macOS Big Sur and macOS Monterey
tvOS 16 (details available soon) Apple TV 4K, Apple TV 4K (2nd generation), and Apple TV HD
watchOS 9 (details available soon) Apple Watch Series 4 and later
iOS 16 iPhone 8 and later
macOS Monterey 12.6 macOS Monterey
macOS Big Sur 11.7 macOS Big Sur
iOS 15.7 and iPadOS 15.7 iPhone 6s and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 2 and later, iPad 5th generation and later, iPad mini 4 and later, and iPod touch (7th generation)
iOS 12.5.6 iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, and iPod touch (6th generation)
watchOS 8.7.1
This update has no published CVE entries.		 Apple Watch Series 3

Source: Apple Support

How to install Apple security updates

Apple Support provides instructions for updating the software on your Apple device:

 

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Nick Himonidis discusses security tips for those working remotely

During this Covid19 Pandemic, an unprecedented number of professional have been working from home / working remotely. For many of those without a deep IT bench, or any real IT support to speak of, this can (and should) raise concerns about the security of their data and communications, which attorneys have an ethical obligation to protect. Today, on Tech Talk Law, Nick Himonidis discussed these issues with Melissa A. Kucinski, Esquire, and gave detailed advice and security tips on a number of issues from device encryption to the use of VPN’s and dedicated private wifi versus ‘free’ public wifi use. You can watch the video of the Zoom discussion on YouTube here: TechTalkLawZoomVideo