Legal Defence: How Law Firms Are Mitigating Risk with Threat Exposure Management
With access to vast troves of sensitive client data - ranging from intellectual property and financial records to confidential litigation strategies - the legal sector presents an attractive opportunity for threat actors. From ransomware attacks to data breaches and insider threats, firms face mounting pressure to defend against an evolving array of digital risks.
Yet, many still rely on outdated security measures that fail to provide full visibility into their exposure. In this article, we explore how Threat Exposure Management (TEM) offers a more proactive and holistic approach to cyber security.
We examine a case study of one of our law firm clients who successfully used our TEM service to identify and mitigate critical vulnerabilities - transforming their security posture and reducing their risk profile significantly.
Legal Sector Client - Threat Exposure Management
Background
One of our clients - a mid-sized law firm specialising in corporate and commercial law, discovered that employee credentials were being sold on a dark web marketplace. These credentials, linked to a single specific member of staff, included access to cloud-based email, document repositories, and internal communication systems. Given the firm’s access to sensitive client data and legal strategies, this poses a significant cyber security risk.
Step 1: Threat Discovery
The firm utilised PureCyber’s Threat Exposure Management (TEM) platform to continuously monitor external digital risk. Our TEM solution identified compromised email and password combinations tied to the firm’s domain circulating on the dark web. These credentials came from the employee in question using their personal email and browsing insecure sites for personal use on their work device. The platform flagged this exposure and alerts the firm’s security team.
The leaked credentials opened a chain of vulnerability for not only the employee but the wider organisation and even a third-party vendor who supported the firms IT operations. Information regarding the employee’s personal accounts linked to their email as well as login information for sites visited and accounts accessed through their work devices were all available on the dark web marketplace.
Step 2: Exposure Analysis and Prioritisation
Once the credentials were discovered, our TEM platform evaluated the potential risk each of the exposed credentials posed to the firm – correlating the leaked accounts with internal access levels, identifying whether the user had administrative privileges or access to sensitive client files. Our TEM also checked for vulnerabilities like lack of multi-factor authentication or a weak password. These steps helped prioritise which exposures needed immediate attention based on business impact.
Step 3: Remediation and Risk Reduction
Armed with this analysis, the law firm moved quickly to contain the threat. Alongside the employee data being exposed and the organisation being left vulnerable to a breach, the vulnerability also opened an issue further along in the firms supply chain, with the organisations IT support provider being caught up in the breach.
Affected accounts of both the employee and the wider organisation/supply chain were locked and passwords were reset. Multi-factor authentication was enforced across all remote access points, and geographic restrictions were implemented to block login attempts from suspicious regions. Internal policies were also updated to prevent future reuse of credentials from external sites. These immediate actions significantly reduced the possible attack surface.
Step 4: Continuous Monitoring and Process Improvement
Following remediation, the law firm integrated our TEM system more deeply into its security operations. Continuously scanning for exposed credentials, phishing domains, and system misconfigurations became a standard part of their threat management practice. Additionally, the firm updated its incident response plan to include credential exposure scenarios and enhanced employee training on secure password use and phishing awareness.
Outcome
Thanks to the structured approach provided by PureCyber’s Threat Exposure Management, the law firm was able to detect and mitigate the credential threat before it led to data loss or a full breach. The firm not only avoided regulatory or reputational damage but also strengthened its overall security posture against future threats.
PureCyber Threat Exposure Management (TEM): Your Solution to Brand Protection
Threat Exposure Management (TEM) gives you the power to instantly search across the clear and dark parts of the web to identify threats to your data and brand. Evaluating and categorising the risk level.
TEM provides ongoing monitoring of your chosen business identifiers, such as domains, email addresses, and IP addresses across the web. Our TEM service acts as a broad search engine, looking for your chosen search terms in places most people cannot access.
Designed for any business handling sensitive data or looking to protect its brand and bottom line.
PureCyber TEM allows you to:
Discover if your data has been leaked
Find out if your staff/user accounts have been hijacked
Identify spoofs of your domain and issue take-downs
View the details of your data offered for sale
Uncover malware sitting within your network
Locate entry points for previous breaches
The Next Step: Unlock the Security & Financial Advantages of PureCyber Threat Exposure Management
Webinar: Uncover The Unseen: Redefining Cyber ROI With Threat Exposure Management
Wednesday June 4th | 11am
Join our high-impact session revealing how continuous Threat Exposure Management and brand protection are rapidly becoming a critical part of the new frontline of cyber security. Offering compelling examples of how the most prepared organisations are redefining their cyber ROI through proactive cyber security.
What you’ll learn:
+ How attackers are exploiting your digital footprint in places you aren’t watching
+ Why brand protection is no longer just a marketing problem - it’s a security priority
+ Real-world examples of the positive ROI impact proactive cyber security can have
+ The costs of inaction: data leaks, impersonation, revenue loss & reputational damage
How Can PureCyber Help?
The PureCyber team are here to take over the burden of your cyber security and ensure your organisation’s data remains secure and well managed, with proactive monitoring and real-time threat intelligence - providing you with a comprehensive and reliable cyber department to support you in all aspects of your security efforts, including: 24/7 Security Operations Centre (SOC) services, Managed Detection & Response (MDR/EDR),Threat Exposure Management (TEM) & Brand Protection Services & Penetration Testing.
PureCyber is recognised as an Assured Service Provider by the NCSC to offer governance and compliance consultancy services/audits. Contact our team of compliance experts to enquire about our full range of Governance Support - including Cyber Essentials, ISO 27001, FISMA, SOC1 and SOC2 standards.
Get in touch or book a demo for more information on our services and how we can safeguard your organisation with our expert cyber security solutions.
Email: info@purecyber.com Call: 0800 368 9397