Cybersecurity and data protection are issues of increasing concern for corporations, financial institutions, health care and other organizations. Regulatory noncompliance, financial and operational disruption, and legal and reputational damage are all real and growing risks for organizations that store and manage key data on networks that can be compromised by cybercriminals.
Despite the fact that all organizations, regardless of size, are at risk of a cyber-attack, few have prevention measures in place, or have planned for how they would respond in the event of an attack. Foster Swift helps clients prevent a data breach, and mitigate the damage when one has already occurred.
We also help clients understand and comply with the myriad state and federal statutes and regulations that implicate IT and cybersecurity issues, including Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), CAN-SPAM, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Federal Trade Commission Act, Sarbanes-Oxley, and states' breach notification laws, to name a few.
The members of our cybersecurity team have extensive experience counseling and advising clients in all aspects of cybersecurity and data protection. Because cybersecurity is a complex issue that requires an interdisciplinary approach, we team with outside information technology experts in connection with both prevention and breach response issues.
Preparation, Prevention and Response
We help clients put in place multi-dimensional procedures and best practices to prevent cyber-attacks.
- Planning - We help companies develop or improve data security practices in order to lower the risk of a data breach and to prepare the company to respond if a breach occurs.
- Training - A company’s workforce is the frontline of cybersecurity. Many “phishing” and malware attacks target a company’s employees, so we work with clients to ensure that employees are trained and informed about important cybersecurity issues.
- Audits - We help clients conduct privacy and security assessments in order to minimize the risk of a breach and to position the company to respond if a breach occurs.
- Policies - The best defense against a data breach is an informed and unified workforce. We help clients implement policies that require employees, as well as outside vendors, to use best practices to safeguard data and systems.
- IT - We have relationships, and work closely with, a team of sophisticated IT specialists and consultants in order to help clients assess and make adjustments to critical IT infrastructure.
- Insurance - We help clients understand whether there are any gaps in their cyber insurance coverage, and help those without cyber coverage analyze new products and negotiate cyber insurance policy placements.
While preparation is the best defense against a data breach, incidents happen - even to the best prepared companies. We have experience advising companies in responding to breaches. Working with IT experts, we help companies identify the source and scope of a breach, and assess their legal and regulatory responsibilities, including managing notifications required to various constituents and government agencies.
Recent Blog Posts
- Cybersecurity Month Serves as Reminder to Take Proactive Steps
- Cybersecurity Impact on Small Businesses in Wake of Colonial Pipeline
- Department of Labor Releases Employee Benefits and Cybersecurity Best Practices
- HIPAA Compliance Considerations During the Pandemic
- Minimizing Cybersecurity Risks for Remote Workers
- Health Care Providers Face Growing Ransomware Risks, and Potential Sanctions for Paying Ransom
- Cyber Insurance: Is it right for you?
- Legal Cybersecurity Hotline Launched
- Using Vendor Management to Protect Your Business's Data
- Updates on Federal and State Privacy Legislation and the FTC’s Authority
Publications & Alerts
- Year End Budgeting and Housekeeping Best Practices for Businesses, Foster Swift Business & Tax Law News, October 27, 2022
- 2021 Year-End Checklist for Businesses, Foster Swift Business & Tax Law News, October 24, 2021
- Is Your Business Protected? Cybersecurity Risks and the Remote Workforce, Foster Swift Business & Tax Law News, May 30, 2020
- Municipalities Held Hostage: Addressing the Rise of Ransomware, The Review (Michigan Municipal League), January 7, 2020
- Avoid Foreign Hackers in 2019, Foster Swift Finance Real Estate & Bankruptcy Law News, November 19, 2018
- Tax Return Scam Alert: Updates for 2018, Foster Swift Business & Corporate Law News E-Blast, February 22, 2018
Events
- The Future of Business & A.I., Lansing Regional Chamber Policy & Regulatory Education Series, April 4, 2023
- Bringing 2022 to a Close with Best Practices for Businesses, Foster Swift Second Wednesday Lunch Break, December 14, 2022
- An Overview of GDPR Training, Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) Fall 2022 Virtual ExporTech™ Program, December 8, 2022
- Data Privacy: Shifting Focus From Preventing to Preparing, Foster Swift 2nd Wednesday Morning Break, October 13, 2021
- Avoid the Virtual Traps of the Rapidly Changing Tech Law Landscape, MICPA Learning Showcase, June 15, 2021
- You've Been Breached! An Interactive Incident Response Simulation, Presented by SIKICH, March 19, 2019
- Cyber-Security: It's Not If, It's When, October 4, 2017
News
- Insurance Awareness Day: Foster Swift Highlights Importance of Reviewing Your Coverages, Yahoo! News, June 28, 2022
- Foster Swift Elects Four Shareholders, January 10, 2022
- New Rising Star Listing in Super Lawyers 2021, Michigan Super Lawyers, August 13, 2021
- Virtual Event: Minimizing Cybersecurity Risks for Remote Working, Foster Swift Business & Tax Law News, December 1, 2020
- Mashni Named SBM ACES Chair, Foster Swift Business & Tax Law News, February 4, 2020
- Firm Launches Cybersecurity Hotline, October 1, 2019
- Foster Swift Elects New Shareholders, Lansing Regional Chamber, January 21, 2019
Media
Biztech Blog
For more content on cybersecurity, visit our Biztech Blog at michiganitlaw.com
Minimizing Cybersecurity Risks for Remote Workers
The coronavirus pandemic has forced more employees than ever before to work remotely and as a result, an uptick in spoofing and other hacking attempts has become a very real threat. Learn from Foster Swift attorneys on ways to minimize risk and avoid disaster as more employees work remotely in the following video: https://youtu.be/dc3gh6ZcAA8