“Cybersecurity remains a top concern in the legal profession. A data breach is a question of when, not if. Lawyers must take steps to protect their own security and privacy, as well as that of their clients. The ABA Cybersecurity Handbook is a vital desk-side resource to help lawyers understand the nature of the threat, protect their practices and their clients’ confidential information and intellectual property, and comply with ever-changing legal rules.”


—Reggie Turner, President, American Bar Association


This third edition of The ABA Cybersecurity Handbook updates and expands upon the issues raised in the first two editions. The cybersecurity landscape has undergone seismic changes since the publication of the second edition in 2017. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new levels of technology integration to the practice of law, accompanied by new and expanded cybersecurity risks. Beyond the legal profession, the SolarWinds, Kaseya, and Colonial Pipeline breaches have set new and alarming precedents. Heightened cybersecurity risk worldwide has prompted increased responses from the US federal government and from the international community.


Amid these ongoing developments, the Handbook is at your fingertips as a guide to preparing for and responding to cybersecurity threats and incidents. The foundational information it shares will remain relevant even in a changing environment. The recommendations within each chapter, located at the end, provide an easy guide for developing and implementing an effective cybersecurity program, including building the understanding of lawyers’ legal and ethical obligations to provide effective provide data security.


The Handbook covers a wide array of topics and provides a comprehensive look not only at the threat developments of the past few years, but also at the trends that have been established in cybersecurity. The Handbook addresses concerns and provides recommendations for several different types of legal practices—small firms and large ones, government lawyers and in-house counsel. Overall best practices are developed and shared throughout the Handbook. As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, the Handbook will be an indispensable reference for you and your practice.