French, UK watchdogs say hackers-for-hire are targeting law firms

Mercenary hackers increasingly are targeting law firms in a bid to steal data that could tip the balance in legal cases, French and British authorities say, echoing a Reuters investigation that uncovered the phenomenon last year.

In a pair of reports published over the past week, the cyber watchdog agencies of France and the United Kingdom cataloged an array of digital challenges faced by law firms, including threats posed by ransomware and malicious insiders. Both also highlighted the dangers posed by mercenary hackers hired by litigants to filch sensitive information from courtroom opponents.