Protecting Sensitive Client Data with Stronger Access Controls
Law firms usually deal with highly sensitive data, and they have to ensure confidentiality at all times. With the increasing use of technology, many firms are struggling with data confidentiality as they still want to break their silos and optimise collaboration.
The key to ensuring that only the right people have access to specific information is implementing proper access controls. These act as both a shield and a map, protecting data while also showing who can interact with it, when, and under what circumstances.
However, you still need to ensure access controls are properly implemented so that they don’t become a barrier, and you can explore the details through professional law firm consulting services.
Start by mapping who needs access to what
Before you bring in any technology, you need to map out the systems and data you have, along with who has access to what. This is quite important as it guides the entire process and ensures you set the proper controls.
Start by taking stock of all the data you have and where it resides. You should then consider the roles and responsibilities of all your partners, associates, and operations staff.
Only assign access based on what each person needs to do their job, not seniority. Be careful to ensure that temporary contributors like contract lawyers or external experts lose access immediately their involvement ends.
Apply least-privilege access
Once your access needs are mapped by role, it’s time to apply the principle of least-privilege access. This guiding rule demands that every team member only have the minimum level of access necessary to perform their duties. It’s quite effective in reducing accidental exposure and preventing insider threats, as well as the misuse of sensitive client information.
An example here is a paralegal who may need to view case files. They don’t need permission to edit contracts or view billing information. The same applies to a junior associate working on a specific matter. They don’t need to access the firm’s entire portfolio.
In highly sensitive cases and when dealing with consultants or contract lawyers, you should also ensure that access is time-bound and expires immediately when access is no longer required.
Besides protecting data, this will also create accountability, as you can easily track who is responsible for which data and identify unusual activity.
Protect high-risk data with multi-factor authentication (MFA)
High-risk data like client financial records and strategic contracts need more protection than a simple password. Even when it’s secure, it can still be phished or reused, creating a channel for unauthorised access.
Multi-factor authentication significantly helps improve data protection by ensuring that even if credentials are compromised, access is still blocked. Particularly, ensure you implement it on remote access, mobile devices, cloud platforms, and client portals.
You can then combine it with alerts for unusual login activity, such as attempts from unfamiliar devices or locations.
Manage user access through provisioning and deprovisioning controls
Besides least privilege access, you’ll need to manage onboarding, role changes, external collaborators, and employee exits. At all times, data should only be in the right hands.
Start by ensuring that someone who joins a matter or the firm is only given the permissions they need to do their job. Ideally, incorporate automation to streamline this process and reduce human error.
In the same way, access should be revoked immediately an attorney leaves the firm and even after they switch practice areas or complete a temporary task. Delays in deprovisioning are often a common source of data breaches and insider threats.
Monitor access continuously with automated alerts and audit trails
When there’s unusual or unauthorized activity, it should be detected quickly so that the responsible team can respond before a breach occurs. This can be done through automated alerts and audit trails, as they provide both real-time oversight and historical records, so it’s easy to know who accessed what, when, and from where.
Activities like after-hours logins, mass downloads of sensitive documents, and attempts to access matters outside a user’s assigned role should be immediately isolated if they don’t match a familiar pattern.
When such oversight is combined with other data protection measures, your firm will be in a stronger position to establish a proactive security posture that protects all sensitive client information while supporting efficient operations.
