By Bill Kammer
The COVID-19 pandemic may have affected some changes in the manner we practice law. We are approaching a year of experience with working at home, remote access, Zoom conferencing, and collaboration tools. Clearly, there have been lessons learned. Let’s explore a few.
Time to Change Your Passwords
One result of the pandemic is that many attorneys and staff members now work from home. Sadly, this situation will probably continue through much of 2021 or maybe it’s a permanent change in the practice of law. Most people are hesitant to change well-remembered passwords, and those often forced to change passwords may suffer “password fatigue.” But it is probably time to change the passwords we are using to access office systems or enter frequently used sites. About 80% of data breaches are caused by weak, default, or stolen passwords.
Two-Factor Authentication -> Multi-Factor Authentication
Simply logging in with a username and password is no longer sufficient. Most banks and financial institutions have, for some time, come to insist upon a form of backup authentication. The most common version involves a text message to a mobile device that requires a response before the original logon is concluded. If attorneys and staff are working from home and accessing office systems, there is no reason systems should not be enhanced by two-factor authentication and multi-factor authentication.
Repair Your Router
Those of us working at home probably use the household’s Wi-Fi network. Control of that network resides in a router we may have installed 5-10 years ago. If that’s the case, the router may need some intensive care. For instance, there are basically two kinds of Wi-Fi encryption: WEP and WPA. You need not know the technical differences, but WEP is a very old standard and too weak for security. A hacker can crack its passwords in minutes with an ordinary computer and software readily available on the internet. If WEP is the standard on your home network, change it now.
Similarly, check and ensure that the router software is up to date and that your network passwords meet current standards. Many routers were originally shipped with common passwords well known to hackers. For a more extensive discussion of router security, see this article from Wired: www.wired.com/story/secure-your-wi-fi-router.
Use Your Guest Network
Most routers ship with the capacity for a guest network. Most homes focus on the guest networks as a way for visitors to use our Wi-Fi without granting them potential access to other computers and devices on the primary networks.
The Internet of Things (IoT) has affected our home networks because of the multiplicity of devices like webcams, doorbells, light bulbs, switches, and smart TVs. Every device may possess the potential to provide a backdoor for hackers to exploit to gain access to everything hosted on our home network. A network is only as secure as its weakest link.
We should enhance security on as many of those devices as we can, but one way to corral potential exposures is to confine all IoT devices to the guest network. In that manner, we isolate our computers, laptops, and mobile devices on our primary networks, safe from the exploits of internet miscreants.
For more substantial advice on how to protect your home network, follow the suggestions in this article: www.howtogeek.com/659084/how-secure-is-your-home-wi-fi.
Don’t Drink the 5G Kool-Aid
At least, don’t hurry to implement it. 5G is the fifth-generation standard for cellular networks, replacing the 4G most are presently using. The mobile carriers are all rolling out this new technology and competing in their advertisements to claim primacy if not uniqueness. 5G will provide more bandwidth for services and much faster download speeds. Most expect that 5G will ultimately support not only cellular service but also provide internet access for laptops and desktop computers.
Our present 4G phones will not operate on 5G, so we will need new mobile devices. Most carriers will potentially provide 5G service on three different frequency bands. The lower two bands, e.g., “5G Nationwide,” may only provide marginally better service than presently available. The highest frequencies, e.g., “5G Ultra-Wideband,” will provide the touted ultrafast speed improvements, but they will require substantial infrastructure changes and construction. This ongoing process means we must be careful in opting for upgrades and new equipment to ensure that we can receive the promised improvements. All of this is reminiscent of prior marketing efforts to label carriers’ services as the next generation though they were nothing more than an evolution toward it. After all, LTE means Long Term Evolution.
Lookin’ Good!
One aspect of the pandemic year has been a rapid adoption of video conferencing on platforms such as Zoom and Teams. We have all heard stories of inappropriate dress, questionable backgrounds, and unwanted interruptions. We have also seen galleries that feature participants but not in their best light. There are simple ways to enhance your appearance. For some simple fixes, consider this article: www.attorneyatwork.com/5-hacks-to-level-up-your-videoconferencing.
You can also, browse the internet and YouTube for the many articles and videos that suggest more complex solutions to help you look your best. There are many YouTubers and video producers who have been at it longer than our attorney population. For a start, go to YouTube and search for ways to look good on video calls. Here is one example: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACNGhPKnmok. Here is another example from the SDCBA: https://bit.ly/3bTr54p.
Comprehensive References
A complete discussion of our changed ways and methods, working environments, and equipment requires more than a single column. To further explore these issues, peruse this Complete Guide to Working Remotely from Clio. www.clio.com/guides/complete-guide-lawyers-remote-work. You might also review resources found on websites such as Bob Ambrogi’s at www.lawsitesresources.com.
In the middle of the 19th century, a French writer suggested that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Maybe that’s no longer true of the practice of law, remote or otherwise.