New York SHIELD Act’s Reasonable Safeguard Requirements Became Effective on March 21st —Is Your Company Ready?

Despite the pandemic, life — and most laws — go on. Micaela McMurrough, Caleb Skeath and Micha Nandaraj Gallo of Covington and Burling posted a reminder yesterday:

On March 21, 2020, the data security requirements of the New York SHIELD Act became effective. The Act, which amends New York’s General Business Law, represents an expansion of New York’s existing cybersecurity and data breach notification laws. Its two main impacts on businesses are:

expanding data breach notification requirements under New York law; and

requiring businesses to maintain “reasonable safeguards” to protect the “private information” of New York residents.