Leading law firm selects Egress to protect client data

Law firm Withy King has selected technology from security provider Egress Software Technologies to protect and control information shared with its clients.

The firm, ranked as one of the top 200 UK law firms by The Lawyer, has deployed Egress Switch to ensure that only authorised recipients access confidential information.

Dave Eagle, head of IT for Withy King, explained that the Egress Switch deployment would improve data security and help to fulfil regulatory requirements.

"Having briefly considered using password protected files and standard TLS [Transport Layer Security] encryption, we soon realised that our firm required a more sophisticated approach in order to satisfy regulatory requirements and changing business needs."

He added that emails exchanged with clients containing legal advice often represent the most valuable products of law firms and need protection.

"The advice and information we provide remains Withy King's most valuable business asset," said Eagle.

"As such, we are compelled to use appropriate methods to ensure the protection of this data when transferred physically or electronically.

"Having fully implemented Egress Switch, we now encourage all our clients to communicate securely, protecting our practice from the SRA [Solicitors Regulation Authority] and our clients from the ICO [Information Commissioner's Office]."

Egress Switch uses AES 256-bit FIPS 140-2 encryption to protect confidential information sent by email, copied to removable media such as USB sticks, burned to CD/DVD, or uploaded to the cloud.

The rights to access this information can be modified or revoked in real-time, even after the information is sent or shared. In this way users can recall information should there be evidence that data has been lost or mishandled.

Separately, the importance of securing confidential data was highlighted today with an annoucement by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) that is has found a Scottish QC to be in breach of the Data Protection Act.

A laptop containing sensitive data was stolen from the home of Ruth Crawford QC. It contained personal data relating to individuals involved in eight court cases the advocate had been working on.

Ken Macdonald, assistant commissioner for Scotland, said: "The legal profession holds some of the most sensitive information available. It is therefore vital that adequate security measures are in place to keep information secure."