Cybersecurity

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As you consider the end of the year and beginning of a new year, we in Taft’s Privacy and Data Security Practice thought to provide you with a simple list of data protection resolutions you might consider, both professionally and personally.

1.  Get strong!  Now is a good time to make a change in passwords for your accounts, and specifically make them strong passwords (i.e. ten characters or more, including an upper and lower case letter, number, and…

Continue Reading 2023 Privacy and Data Security Resolutions

Beginning in April 2018, the General Services Administration (GSA) will publish for 60 days of public comment updates to its cybersecurity requirements for eventual integration into the GSA Acquisition Regulation (GSAR). [GSAR Case 2016-G511, Information and Information Systems Security, 83 Fed. Reg. 1941 (Jan. 12, 2018).] Then, beginning in August 2018, the GSA will publish for 60 days of public comments updates to its cyber incident reporting requirements for GSA contractors. [GSAR Case 2016-515, Cyber Incident Reporting, 83 F.R. 1941…
Continue Reading GSA is Updating its Cybersecurity and Incident Reporting Requirements

A recent GAO decision denying a contractor’s protest because of cybersecurity concerns offers contractors four lessons on how to avoid making the same mistakes.

I.  Background Facts and Decision

Syneren Technologies Corporation was one of 20 contractors who responded to a Navy RFP to award an ID/IQ contract for IT systems and software to support human resource operations involving a variety of business enterprise services. The work was to be performed at a government facility and involved DoD and Navy…

Continue Reading Selling Software to the Government: Four Cybersecurity Lessons from a Failed DoD Bid Protest

Ohio is poised to lead the nation by incentivizing businesses to implement certain cybersecurity controls, which can be an affirmative defense to a data breach claim based on negligence. Under the proposed legislation, if a business is sued for negligently failing to implement reasonable information security controls resulting in a data breach, the business can assert its compliance with the cybersecurity control as an affirmative defense at trial.

For years we have counseled our clients to implement a comprehensive data…
Continue Reading Cybersecurity: An Affirmative Defense to Ohio Data Breach Negligence Claims

You may have heard news recently that federal government agencies were directed to stop using products made by the computer security vendor Kaspersky Lab because of potential security risks from links between Kaspersky officials and the Russian government. The directive was issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Elaine Duke on Sept. 13, 2017.

Kaspersky products have broad access to files and elevated privileges on the computers on which they are installed. As a result, the DHS…
Continue Reading DSS Directs Federal Government Contractors to Stop Using Products Made by AO Kaspersky Lab

A new cyberattack, that is very similar to the WannaCry ransomware virus, is spreading across Europe. Taft’s Technology group is closely monitoring the situation and has prepared the following short summary of questions and answers about ransomware attacks, which in effect locks out users from accessing their files unless a ransom is paid via bitcoin.

Q: I have been hit with a ransomware attack, what are my options?

A: You can pay the ransom with the hopes of getting your…
Continue Reading Q&A: Ransomware Attack

Cybersecurity is not an aspect of your business that can be tackled once and then forgotten. The threats are constantly evolving. They require attention and resources. Here are 5 tips to make sure your company is prepared in case of an attack.

  1. Disaster Recovery Plan– Data is the lifeblood of most organizations. Where is your data stored? What would happen to your business if a natural disaster like a fire, flood or other catastrophe struck the location where your

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Continue Reading 5 Cybersecurity Tips for In-House Counsel

The saga surrounding the St. Louis Cardinals hacking scandal concluded with the issuance of a final punishment from MLB. The scandal stemmed from the actions of the former Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa, after he illegally accessed the e-mail accounts of members of the Houston Astros front office as well as their scouting database. The Cardinals were ordered to forfeit their top two selections in the upcoming 2017 amateur draft to the Astros and pay them two million dollars within…
Continue Reading St. Louis Cardinals Hacking Scandal: A Real-World Example of the Importance of Password Management

One overlooked aspect of cybersecurity is training for the employees at your company in proper data management practices. All of the technical measures that a company employs to guard against intrusions do not matter when an employee knowingly or unknowingly circumvents those measures. Proper training can help to reduce the number of incidents and lower your chances of suffering from a data breach.

  1. Password Management – Proper password management is key to any cybersecurity program. The technical barriers to entry

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Continue Reading 5 Tips for Training Employees in Effective Cybersecurity Practices

Guides and best practices against cyber-attacks often provide only the illusion of security. In an attempt to turn that illusion into reality, the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence at the National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) intends to create a lab environment to simulate, test, and address cybersecurity problems for robotic-based and chemical manufacturing processes through standards-based solutions using commercially available software.

The intent is to produce a series of NIST Cybersecurity Practice Guides for four cybersecurity capabilities for…
Continue Reading Can You Prevent Cyber Attacks to Industrial Control Systems for Advanced Robotic-Based and Chemical Manufacturers with Off-the-Shelf Software and NIST Guidelines?