As the realm of technology continues to expand and evolve, so too do the challenges faced by large corporations and law firms in managing and protecting digital assets and information systems. The rising concern around cyberattacks on business institutions is gaining increased attention due to their far-reaching implications.
In one recent alarming example, a spate of cyberattacks targeted at casinos in Las Vegas underscored the burgeoning concern about the potential consequences and liabilities that may result from such attacks. Notably, this incident, along with many other similar ones, have raised an intriguing question: are cyberattacks becoming an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issue? Read here for more.
OSHA, as most legal professionals know, was set up to ensure safe and healthful working conditions—providing training, outreach, education, and assistance. However, with the onset of these digital threats to companies, it is conceivable that cyber security falls within its purview. After all, digital attacks can cause significant damage, compromising the operational integrity of a business and potentially putting employees at risk.
This raises another significant question: how should companies and their legal representatives respond? They may indeed need to consider cyberattacks as more than IT department problems and, crucially, manage such events as part of their wider risk and employee welfare strategies. As such, it adds a new dimension to a corporation’s or a law firm’s risk assessment model that we may need to pay closer attention to in the coming years.
It’s an intriguing situation, and one that businesses and their representative legal counsels will continue to follow with keen interest.