"Suspected Chinese government-backed hackers have breached computer systems of US law firm Williams & Connolly, which has represented some of America's most powerful politicians, as part of a larger spying campaign against multiple law firms, according to a letter the firm sent clients and a source familiar with the hack....Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the embassy, told CNN in response to a separate hacking allegation last month: "China firmly opposes and combats all forms of cyber attacks and cybercrime.""
"Running a firm involves more than delivering legal results for your clients - you also have to protect whatever vital information that falls in your lap in the process of advocating for them. Like most troves of protected personal information, law firms have been subject to targeting by hackers, domestic and elsewhere. Williams & Connolly, a firm that raked in ~$665M in gross revenue 2024, was the most recent hit in a chain of information-grabbing hacks. CNN has coverage:"
"Williams & Connolly has since stated publicly that the threat actor has been blocked and that there is "no evidence of any unauthorized traffic on our network." A quick response and transparency are to be expected from the firm, along with a boost in their security measures. That said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
Law firms routinely collect and store highly sensitive client information that attracts targeted cyberattacks, including suspected state-backed espionage. Suspected Chinese government-backed hackers breached computer systems of Williams & Connolly as part of a broader campaign against multiple law firms, and Chinese officials denied involvement. Williams & Connolly reported the threat actor was blocked and asserted no evidence of unauthorized network traffic. High-revenue firms with political clients face elevated risk and must respond quickly with transparency and boosted defenses. Firms with lagging security protocols should proactively upgrade protections, conduct incident response planning, and harden systems to avoid costly re-securing after a breach.
Read at Above the Law
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