Cybersecurity & Privacy

  • September 23, 2024

    Wilkinson Barker Brings On FCC Deputy Bureau Chief In DC

    A 12-year veteran of the Federal Communications Commission, who most recently was the deputy bureau chief of the agency's Wireline Competition Bureau, is returning to private practice as a partner with Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP, the firm announced Monday.

  • September 23, 2024

    Telecoms Oppose Using Database Co.'s Do-Not-Originate List

    A major telecommunications trade association is urging the Federal Communications Commission to reject suggested changes to its proposed anti-robocall rules, telling the commission that modifications recommended by telecom database company Somos could end up blocking legitimate calls.

  • September 23, 2024

    College Data Co. To Pay $10M In MOVEit Hack MDL

    College student data company National Student Clearinghouse has agreed to pay nearly $10 million to exit multidistrict litigation stemming from the 2023 hack of Progress Software's MOVEit file transfer tool.

  • September 23, 2024

    Journalists Say EBay Can't ID Sources In Stalking Case

    A Massachusetts couple who were harassed by a group of eBay Inc. employees over their negative blog posts about the company said they shouldn't have to turn over the names of confidential sources purportedly scared off by the ordeal.

  • September 20, 2024

    AGs Push To Can Google Privacy Deal With No Class Payout

    Nearly two dozen Republican state attorneys general are urging the Ninth Circuit to scrap a data privacy deal that requires Google to pay $62 million to plaintiffs' counsel and third-party organizations but gives no money to individual class members, arguing that consumers aren't adequately benefiting from the settlement.

  • September 20, 2024

    Fla. Judge Trims Health Co. Data Breach MDL

    The Florida federal judge overseeing the multidistrict litigation of a health benefits administration company impacted by a data breach dismissed several state consumer law claims but said those who brought lawsuits can sue, saying they've plausibly alleged injuries after their personal information was allegedly stolen by a cybercriminal group.

  • September 20, 2024

    FCC Launches $200M School, Library Cybersecurity Program

    The Federal Communications Commission has begun rolling out a new cybersecurity program for schools and libraries under the E-Rate federal subsidy for "anchor" institutions, highlighting their increasing vulnerabilities to cyberattacks.

  • September 20, 2024

    Golf Course Co. Sued Again; Earlier Data Breach Case Axed

    An Illinois-based golf course and hospitality management business faces a new lawsuit from a former employee for allegedly failing to protect its customers' personal information following an April breach, while a separate case against the business has been dismissed.

  • September 20, 2024

    Calif. Panel Backs VW Drivers' $3.5M Data Breach Deal

    California appellate justices have upheld Volkswagen and Audi drivers' $3.5 million data breach settlement and rejected an objector's request to intervene and vacate judgment, finding that her disagreement with their litigation strategy doesn't mean her interests weren't adequately represented. 

  • September 20, 2024

    BofA, Consumers Ink Deal To End COVID Card Fraud Claims

    Bank of America informed a New Jersey court on Friday it has reached a settlement in principle with three consumers who launched a proposed class action over the bank's allegedly insufficient security measures affecting prepaid debit cards for unemployment benefits during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • September 20, 2024

    NYC Lexus Dealership Snags Partial Win In TCPA Text Suit

    A Manhattan Lexus dealership was not using technology that violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act's ban on autodialers, a New York federal judge has ruled, handing the dealership a partial win in a class action accusing it of bugging noncustomers with unsolicited texts.

  • September 20, 2024

    Avenatti Seeks Top Court Review Of Daniels ID Theft Verdict

    Incarcerated celebrity attorney Michael Avenatti has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review his conviction for misappropriating money from ex-client Stormy Daniels, claiming the Second Circuit's decision upholding the verdict runs afoul of precedent for identity-theft cases.

  • September 20, 2024

    Houston Judge Won't Take Up Prosecutor License Issue

    A Houston judge declined to take up allegations that a government prosecutor participated in a case against a Texas surgeon while her law license was suspended, denying the doctor's show cause motion in a brief order Thursday.

  • September 19, 2024

    Dechert Settles Aviation Exec's Hack Cover-Up RICO Claims

    An airline mogul has cut a confidential deal with Dechert and two former partners of the firm to let them off the hook in his sprawling civil Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act lawsuit in New York federal court, the settling parties announced Thursday.

  • September 19, 2024

    FTC's Holyoak Offers 'Alternative Vision' For Privacy, AI Work

    The Federal Trade Commission needs to rein in its work on data privacy and artificial intelligence rather than pursue sweeping actions that exceed its regulatory authority and threaten to compromise the support and funding the agency gets from Congress, according to one of its Republican commissioners. 

  • September 19, 2024

    Roblox Can't Ax Negligence Claims In Online Gambling Case

    Roblox must face claims it was negligent for failing to shield minor players from gambling through its platform after a California federal judge ruled Thursday that the plaintiffs adequately alleged it was foreseeable that the players would head to online casinos and gamble away their digital currency known as "Robux."

  • September 19, 2024

    Scammers Bilked At Least $230M In Bitcoin, Feds Say

    Two people were arrested and charged with conspiring to steal and launder at least $230 million in bitcoin, allegedly using online monikers like "Anne Hathaway" and "VersaceGod," federal prosecutors said Thursday.

  • September 19, 2024

    Filing After Bar Lapse Was Honest Mistake, Prosecutor Says

    A Texas surgeon facing criminal charges for giving patient data to a media outlet regarding gender-affirming care provided to minors accused the government's lead prosecutor of taking the case while she had a suspended law license, a blunder the attorney called an unintentional error on Thursday.

  • September 19, 2024

    Insurers Wrestle With 'Cyberwar' Policy Exclusions

    The evolving cyberinsurance market could be heading for a seismic shift if more insurers scale back standard business IT breach policies to limit the impact of state-backed cyberattacks on their bottom line.

  • September 19, 2024

    Tech Giants Falling Far Short On Data Privacy, FTC Says

    Facebook, Amazon and other major social media and video streaming platforms are deploying "woefully inadequate" data privacy practices to protect users of all ages, highlighting the urgent need for tighter restrictions on how these companies collect, use and retain personal information, the Federal Trade Commission said in a staff report issued Thursday.

  • September 18, 2024

    Kids' Online Safety, Privacy Bills Move To House Floor

    The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday advanced a pair of bipartisan bills aimed at enhancing children's digital safety and data privacy, despite several lawmakers voicing concerns with recent changes that a sponsor acknowledged left one measure a "weakened version" of the proposal that passed the U.S. Senate. 

  • September 18, 2024

    AI Musician Denies Purported $10M Streaming Scam

    A North Carolina man facing a novel fraud case alleging he used artificial intelligence on platforms like Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube to generate around $10 million in illegal revenues denied wrongdoing at his initial court appearance Wednesday in New York.

  • September 18, 2024

    FBI Dismantles Chinese Botnet, Urges Victims To Seek Aid

    FBI Director Christopher Wray announced Wednesday that the law enforcement agency has knocked out a botnet operated by a Chinese government-sponsored hacker group that was stealing confidential data by infecting internet-connected devices.

  • September 18, 2024

    Health AI Co. Says Texas AG 'Misrepresents' Compliance Deal

    The Texas attorney general's Wednesday announcement of a compliance agreement with a healthcare-focused artificial intelligence company has sparked backlash from the company, which accused the state prosecutor of "dangerously" misrepresenting their agreement.

  • September 18, 2024

    BIPA Doesn't Conflict With Kids Safety Law, Judge Rules

    An Illinois federal judge on Tuesday rejected Meta's bid to dismiss a biometric privacy class action alleging it improperly stored Messenger and Messenger Kids users' facial geometries to apply bunny-ear and other filters, finding a federal child privacy law does not preempt the suit.

Expert Analysis

  • 'Pig Butchering': The Scam That Exploits Crypto Confusion

    Author Photo

    Certain red flags can tip off banks to possible "pig-butchering," and with the scam's increasing popularity, financial institutions need to take action to monitor entry points into the crypto space, detect suspicious activity and provide a necessary backstop to protect customers, say Brandon Essig and Mary Parrish McCracken at Lightfoot Franklin.

  • Opinion

    Agencies Should Reward Corporate Cyber Victim Cooperation

    Author Photo

    The increased regulatory scrutiny on corporate victims of cyberattacks — exemplified by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's case against SolarWinds — should be replaced with a new model that provides adequate incentives for companies to come forward proactively and collaborate with law enforcement, say attorneys at McDermott.

  • Firms Must Offer A Trifecta Of Services In Post-Chevron World

    Author Photo

    After the U.S. Supreme Court’s Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision overturning Chevron deference, law firms will need to integrate litigation, lobbying and communications functions to keep up with the ramifications of the ruling and provide adequate counsel quickly, says Neil Hare at Dentons.

  • What We Know From Early Cyberinsurance Rulings

    Author Photo

    Recent cyber disruption incidents, like the Crowdstrike outage and the CDK Global cyberattack this summer, highlight the necessity of understanding legal interpretations of cyberinsurance coverage — an area in which there has been little litigation thus far, say Peter Halprin and Rebecca Schwarz at Haynes Boone.

  • 5 Tips To Succeed In A Master Of Laws Program And Beyond

    Author Photo

    As lawyers and recent law school graduates begin their Master of Laws coursework across the country, they should keep a few pointers in mind to get the most out of their programs and kick-start successful careers in their practice areas, says Kelley Miller at Reed Smith.

  • Series

    Being An Opera Singer Made Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    My journey from the stage to the courtroom has shown that the skills I honed as an opera singer – punctuality, memorization, creativity and more – have all played a vital role in my success as an attorney, says Gerard D'Emilio at GableGotwals.

  • Until Congress Acts, EDNY 'Insider Betting' Case Is Premature

    Author Photo

    The Eastern District of New York’s novel wire fraud conspiracy indictment in U.S. v. Pham may have prematurely heralded a new era in federal gambling enforcement, but in the absence of an “insider betting” statute, sportsbooks — not prosecutors — should be responsible for enforcing their terms of use, says attorney Jonathan Savella.

  • How Law Firms Can Avoid 'Collaboration Drag'

    Author Photo

    Law firm decision making can be stifled by “collaboration drag” — characterized by too many pointless meetings, too much peer feedback and too little dissent — but a few strategies can help stakeholders improve decision-making processes and build consensus, says Steve Groom at Miles Mediation.

  • Election Outlook: A Precedent Primer On Content Moderation

    Author Photo

    With the 2024 election season now in full swing, online platforms will face difficult and politically sensitive decisions about content moderation, but U.S. Supreme Court decisions from last term offer much-needed certainty about their rights, say Jonathan Blavin and Helen White at Munger Tolles.

  • What BIPA Reform Law Means For Biometrics Litigation

    Author Photo

    A recently signed Illinois law amending the Biometric Information Privacy Act limits defendants' liability exposure on a per-scan basis and clarifies that electronic signatures constitute a valid written release, establishing additional issues that courts will need to address in future BIPA litigation, say attorneys at Faegre Drinker.

  • 6 Considerations To Determine If A Cyber Incident Is Material

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent guidance on material cybersecurity incidents covers a range of ransomware scenarios, from a company paying a sum and regaining operations to recovering payment via cyberinsurance, but makes it clear that no single factor determines whether a cybersecurity incident is material, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

  • Opinion

    Litigation Funding Disclosure Key To Open, Impartial Process

    Author Photo

    Blanket investor and funding agreement disclosures should be required in all civil cases where the investor has a financial interest in the outcome in order to address issues ranging from potential conflicts of interest to national security concerns, says Bob Goodlatte, former U.S. House Representative for Virginia.

  • Series

    After Chevron: What To Expect In Consumer Protection At FTC

    Author Photo

    Although the Federal Trade Commission's bread-and-butter consumer protection law enforcement actions are unlikely to be affected, the Loper Bright decision may curb the FTC's bolder interpretations of the statutes it enforces, says Mary Engle at BBB National Programs.

  • The Ethics of Using Generative AI In Environmental Law

    Author Photo

    The rapid emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools is challenging environmental lawyers, consultants and government agencies to determine when and how these tools can be responsibly, ethically and productively integrated into their practices to streamline research, predictive analytics and regulatory compliance, say Ahlia Bethea and Pamela Esterman at Sive Paget.

  • RealPage Suit Shows Growing Algorithm, AI Pricing Scrutiny

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Department of Justice's suit against RealPage for helping fix rental rates, filed last week, demonstrates how the use of algorithmic and artificial intelligence tools to assist with pricing decisions is drawing increasing scrutiny and action across government agencies, and specifically at the Federal Trade Commission and the DOJ, say Andre Geverola and Leah Harrell at Arnold & Porter.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Cybersecurity & Privacy archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!