As a court reporter, you’re privy to a great deal of sensitive, confidential information. Keeping that data and the record secure is one of the most important parts of the job. The National Court Reporters Associations’ Code of Professional Ethics states that court reporters must “preserve the confidentiality and ensure the security of information, oral or written, entrusted to the Member by any of the parties in a proceeding.” This includes work product stored or sent from your devices.
Today, most court reporters use digital devices, which means that if the devices are compromised, that sensitive data could be exposed. That’s why court reporting and data security go hand in hand in Phoenix, AZ. Read on to learn more about the best data security practices for court reporters:
- Use complex passwords: Your devices and drives should be set to lock automatically, and should require a password before they can be used. Make sure that password is complex—avoid the temptation to use “legaleagle123” or other easily-guessed passwords, and use a different one for each device. Password managers can help you back up and organize your firm’s passwords.
- Keep your antivirus software up to date: The best way to prevent viruses and malware is to update your antivirus and anti-malware software regularly. You should also run scans daily. This will help find and neutralize any new threats before they have a chance to infect your devices.
- Use two-factor authentication: Two-factor authentication helps ensure that if you need to reset your passwords online, the right person is requesting to reset. The phone, email or text notifications will also alert you if someone else is trying to gain access to your account the same way.
- Update your software regularly: Software updates address newfound bugs or security vulnerabilities, so if you see that updates are ready to be installed, do so right away. Along with secure passwords and antivirus software, this will help keep your devices and data secure.
- Ensure all related software is secure: Choose your software carefully. Litigation software often has security and encryption built in, but consider other productivity programs like Zoom, Slack and even cloud-based word processors and storage.
- Be cautious about attachments: Even though most people are regularly reminded about infected email attachments, we can still be fooled. It’s easy for hackers and phishers to spoof trusted email addresses and attach legitimate-looking files. If you’re not expecting to receive an attachment, verify with the sender that they’re the ones who sent it before downloading.
- Back up your data regularly: Finally, back up your data on a regular basis, in the event that technical issues destroy your data. Use password-protected cloud or external storage to ensure that everyone has multiple, reliably stored copies of documents. Losing transcripts and videos can be devastating to a reporting firm, as well as to the attorneys and court staff.
For reliable, secure court reporting, using the best data security practices for court reporters in Phoenix, AZ, call the team at Bartelt | Nix Reporting, LLC today.