For law firms, distributed capture can reduce security concerns

Law firms handle a lot of sensitive data on a daily basis, far more than most other businesses do over much larger periods of time. With this in mind, security is – and should be – of the utmost concern. This is particularly true when it comes to the ways in which individual people handle that sensitive information, because human error leads to some potential security issues. The good news, though, is that distributed document capture can go a long way toward reducing those risks.

Many of the risks for any business arise due to simple mistakes companies and employees make as it relates to system security, according to Bloomberg BNA. Issues like having weak passwords, failing to update security software and other programs on a regular basis, and continuing to use older devices long past their normal shelf lives are all easy mistakes to make. Taking steps as an organization to address them – especially regarding the handling of sensitive information and scanning necessary documents – can go a long way.

This is where distributed capture can help. By giving more people the power to safely scan files into secure document management systems, the number of people actually handling physical documents – which can sometimes be misplaced – is greatly reduced. Introducing this capability along with more basic security measures can go a long way.

At this time, it might also be wise for law firms to regularly run a check of who has access to sensitive documents, and whether those permissions need to be updated, according to Corporate Counsel. When it comes to making the right decisions, a few simple tweaks related to workflows and who can see what data may significantly increase security without requiring further investment.

With the risk of data breaches on the rise – about 80 percent of law firms now think they will be victimized by at least one such serious incident in the near future – it's vital for law firms to establish protocols that require them to continually revisit their security posture. In the meantime, investing in distributed capture that reduces the number of "touches" sensitive information requires is probably a good idea.