Latest & Greatest – Encryption Made Simple for Lawyers

By David G. Ries, Sharon D. Nelson, and John W. Simek

Published by ABA Law Practice Division

QA 76.9 .A25 N455 2015

Seeking to take the fear out of encryption and what it entails, the authors of Encryption Made Simple for Lawyers set upon the task of proving that encrypting information is not as complicated and difficult as it may seem to those not fully versed in the language of “techspeak”. From its earliest forms, e.g. ciphers and secret decoder rings, encryption has been used to make communications secret and secure, and in this age of cyberterrorism and data breaches, understanding how to encrypt confidential information has taken on even greater importance. The authors begin by explaining, in simple terms, the basics of encryption technology, such as the Data Encryption Standard algorithm, digital certificates, and symmetric and asymmetric encryption before discussing the nuances of encrypting laptops and desktops, smartphones, and portable drives. The authors also stress the need to protect data as it travels through various networks or into the cloud as well as the practicality of securing individual documents.

If you don’t think that you need to encrypt or further secure your documents, you may be mistaken. As the authors readily point out: lawyers have an ethical obligation to keep communications confidential. Encryption Made Simple for Lawyers can help you perform that duty or, at a minimum, convince you that you need to obtain the services of a qualified professional. Don’t wait until a data breach to take action.