Cyberattacks are a real and growing concern for today’s law firms. Law firms, by nature, hold extensive volumes of client information, most of which is highly confidential, making them an ideal target for cybercriminals. In fact, according to a recent report from PWC, 60 percent of law firms reported suffering a security incident over the last 12 months.

As information security concerns mount, it’s imperative that legal service providers partner with vendors that adhere to the highest level of standards in data privacy and security. One way to ensure your partners are committed to protecting your data is to look for those that have an ISO 27001 certification.

Sysero recently announced our achievement of ISO 27001 certification, and here we look at what it means and why it matters when considering vendor partnerships.

What is ISO 27001?

ISO/IEC 27001:2013 (ISO 27001) is the international, and only auditable, standard that defines the requirements of an information security management system (ISMS). An ISMS is a systematic framework for managing people, processes and IT systems to ensure sensitive corporate information stays secure.

Three Reasons Why ISO 27001 is Important

Information security is a top concern for the modern law firm, and standards like ISO 27001 ensure that vendors have the right formalities and processes in place to ensure effective risk management. Though many organisations follow a standard set of procedures to achieve their security objectives, ISO 27001 certification provides formal proof that best practices are integrated across all levels of the organisation to ensure security and compliance.  Here are three major reasons why ISO 27001 certification matters.

1) Mitigates your risk

Cybercriminals are continually looking for new ways to comprise sensitive corporate information, and law firms are a prime target. We’ve all heard about data security breaches at some of the world’s largest organisations, including the paralyzing attack on DLA Piper last year.

When you work with a vendor that has achieved ISO 27001 certification, you can rest assured that you’re working with partner who manages risk in a structured and appropriate manner for your business. Complying with ISO 27001 requirements also helps ensure that your firm adheres to other standards and regulations, such as GDPR, KYC and AML.

2) Inspires client confidence

By maintaining the highest standards in data privacy and securely, you can assure clients that their information is secure and won’t be misused by criminals. Instilling trust in your clients is key to building a strong relationship and establishing a competitive advantage. 

3) Ensures ongoing compliance and improvement

Continuous improvement is built into the ISO 27001 standard. To maintain certification, companies must undergo annual audits and a three-year certification process to ensure they continue to meet the stringent requirements set out in the standard. When a new standard is published, companies must transition to the latest version in order to maintain compliance.

These ongoing audits and improvements ensure that ISO 27001 certified companies continually strive for excellence in information management and are committed to maintaining the highest levels of confidentiality, integrity and security for their clients.