NC Deeds Offices Hit by Cyberattack

Cyber-criminals are launching strikes against government record sites nationwide, temporarily crippling the Register of Deeds offices in 13 North Carolina counties.

Beginning in late 2022, records offices across the country were knocked offline – for hours, days or weeks – affecting marriage licenses, real estate document recordation and online property searches.

Lawyers Mutual issued a Risk Management Alert on the cyber-attacks to its insureds.

The North Carolina Land Title Association sent an urgent e-warning to all its members.

Read about attacks in Nash and Edgecombe (NC) counties, South Carolina, New York and Ohio.

Download the Data Security Policy Lawyers Mutual Risk Management Practice Guide.

Why choose Lawyers Mutual for your financial protection? One reason is experience. Lawyers Mutual has been in business since 1977 and insures more than 8000 lawyers in North Carolina. We’ve been providing continuous protection from professional liability to NC lawyers longer than any other insurance company. Another reason is stability. The company’s financial strength is absolute. Since 1999, Lawyers Mutual has paid dividends fourteen times, with more than $8 million dollars returned to policyholders since 2011. Want even more reasons? Visit our website, give us a call, or ask a colleague why Lawyers Mutual is the smart choice for liability coverage.

Data Security Policy: Lawyers Mutual Practice Guide

Following is from the LM risk management guide Data Security Policy:

• With each new piece of technology comes new potential for data security breach. The dangers inherent in using a smartphone or tablet are quite different from those associated with a laptop. Even the convenience of wireless internet has more opportunities for attack than traditional hard-wired systems.

• While most security measures focus on external threats from hackers and malicious downloads, internal threats account for twice as much monetary loss as external threats. An internal threat could be the deletion or dissemination of computer files related to a client’s case. One employee could also share their password with another, granting someone access beyond the scope of their position.

• To prevent the intentional or unintentional problems created by employee use of software and equipment, developing a thorough data securities policy is more important than ever. This policy should provide employees with information regarding the acceptable use of mobile technology as well as password security and wireless access policies to protect confidential data.

• There are some truths that should be self-evident but need to be spelled out in a written policy, because inevitably an employee will otherwise do the unthinkable. Some may ignore the Not Safe for Work (NSFW) tag and view pornography if they are ‘off the clock’ during a break or lunch hour, while others may decide to run a personal business or game server using the firm’s servers. Both of these activities expose the office to security risks.

• Some less obvious but equally risky behavior is the desire to download software from the internet onto company computers and/or servers. An employee could simply be looking for a tool to make them more efficient in their job. However, looking in the wrong place and downloading the wrong file could install malicious software onto your system.

• Is losing a day’s worth of work acceptable, let alone a week? Backing up the office servers every night and storing that data off-site can save a law firm. Disasters don’t wait for you to be prepared before they strike.

Download the Data Security Policy Lawyers Mutual Risk Management Practice Guide.

Everyone makes mistakes. When it happens to you, Lawyers Mutual has your back. For nearly half a century, Lawyers Mutual has been the smart choice for professional liability coverage for North Carolina attorneys. We cover the state from Murphy to Manteo. We insure large firms, solo practitioners and everyone in between. We help new lawyers enter the profession with confidence, and we help keep seasoned veterans safe and successful. The numbers speak for themselves. Lawyers Mutual has been in business since 1977, making us the only insurance carrier to provide continuous protection over that period. Today we insure more than 8000 lawyers in North Carolina. Most of them will stick with us until they retire. Why? Because they know we are here for them today and will be here tomorrow, bringing protection and peace of mind in turbulent times. Visit our website, give us a call, or ask a colleague why Lawyers Mutual is the smart choice for liability coverage.