The Legal Aid Agency’s admission in May that their online portal had been subject to a cyber-attack, and the sensitive information of legal aid applicants going back to 2010 had been accessed, is just the latest in a series of high-profile attacks by hackers. M&S has put the cost of their hack at £300 m alone. But it’s not just large companies that get hacked.
At Orion Legal Marketing, we have been asked to help numerous law firms whose websites have been breached by hackers. In most cases, the hackers hijack pages on the law firm’s website, often linking them to pornographic or gambling sites. It’s a scary and stressful situation, and embarrassingly, often, the law firm is only alerted to this fact when it starts receiving complaints from would-be clients who have discovered the hacks when they visit their website.
In most cases, the legal websites affected are older sites with outdated software and plug-ins. Whilst from the untrained eye your website may look okay, these older sites are particularly vulnerable to hackers who know the security flaws. Cybercriminals use automated tools and techniques to scan the internet for vulnerable websites, as they are easy targets for cyberattacks.
Protection is better than cure, as stopping hackers before they attack is better than fixing problems later. A hacked website can have serious consequences for your business, including brand and reputational damage, search engine penalties, and the spread of malware to visitors.
Time moves fast on the internet. There is a whole industry of cyber criminals looking for website vulnerabilities and publishing them. That’s why software developers regularly release updates to fix security issues.
You have a responsibility to your visitors, their data, and, of course, to yourself and your business to make sure the appropriate security is in place on your website.
To protect your website, you should:
- regularly update your website software, including plug-ins, themes, and core software
- use a strong firewall to block malicious traffic
- always use strong passwords
- implement two-factor authentication (2FA)
- review your website’s security to scan for vulnerabilities and malware and ensure your site is protected
- take regular backups of your site
- choose a good web host
If you’re running older versions of your website’s software, you’re more likely to have known vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit. Older websites also may not have been designed with modern security practices in mind, such as robust firewalls, secure coding practices, or up-to-date encryption protocols.
A website’s lifespan is generally considered to be 3-5 years to stay modern, relevant, and effective. Drivers for a new site include
- the website isn’t attracting or engaging visitors
- it is starting to look old-fashioned, which can erode trust and credibility
- the user experience is being affected as they have trouble navigating the site or cannot find key information
- the legal services offered or the profile of the firm’s target audience has changed
- the site’s mobile responsiveness or loading speeds are getting slow
- your website does not incorporate an SSL certificate (Google penalises websites with an HTTP).
- and of course, there’s the issue of ongoing updates and security.
Remember, your website is your law firm’s online shop window. More people will probably visit your online window than the real one in your office. Prospective clients will use the internet to research legal providers, check out recommended firms and lawyers, and make judgments based on the look and feel of a website. You only have a few seconds to make a good impression.
A well-managed website should also draw prospective clients to you using website optimisation e.g. essentially directing people to your website when they type in key phrases into search engines.
So, in summary, an old website can leave you vulnerable to hackers and can also drive new business away. However, websites are an essential tool for a modern law firm, so they should be at the top of your priority list.
How we can help
Orion Legal Marketing specialises in creating high-performance websites tailored to the unique needs of legal professionals. From striking visuals to seamless functionality, our designs not only capture your firm’s identity but also drive client engagement and growth.
Your website can be used to reassure prospective clients and build up trust in your ability to support a client through a potentially stressful and challenging situation. We’ll work with you to establish your key messages and develop a customised law firm website design that reflects your firm’s unique culture, expertise, and personality.
As we work exclusively with the legal sector, we understand the requirements of the SRA and BSB, such as displaying the SRA digital badge and complying with the SRA’s transparency rules in certain areas of law.
We’ll research the keywords that your competitors are using, and the most popular phrases that prospective clients are typing into web searches. We can suggest innovative ways to weave SEO into your law firm website design, your videos, and your social media pages to ensure all of your online marketing is working together to promote your firm.
We want to empower you to be able to regularly review your website traffic so we also set up Google Analytics for you at the end of every law firm website design project.
And of course, we can advise on how to implement ongoing security updates, especially for your WordPress core, plugins, and themes, to help you stay protected against emerging threats.
For more information about our legal website services, contact us by emailing Rachel Tombs at e: rachel@orionleglamarketing.co.uk or call us on t: 0118 380 5980 for your free consultation.
