Labor and employment associate Brian Noh in New York authored an article in Privacy & Cybersecurity Law Report, outlining a series of preventative measures and contingency plans employers should adopt in advance of a cyberattack. By some estimates, in the first seven months of last year alone, reports of ransomware increased by 62 percent over the previous year. Noh explained that while some malicious actors demand ransom in exchange for decryption software, others simply steal the company data regardless of whether a ransom is paid, disrupting operations across the company and resulting in the loss of trade secrets, sensitive commercial information, personal data, or even medical documents.
Noh wrote: "Ultimately, the effectiveness of a company’s response will largely depend on its preparedness and dexterity in switching between different workforce management systems, as well as its understanding of its own limitations. In light of the increasing rate of cyberattacks, you should ensure that those plans have been thoroughly vetted and discussed with all decision makers, human resources, and information technology personnel."