Connor Jones reports: A total ban on ransomware payments across the public sector might actually happen after the UK government opened a consultation on how to combat the trend of criminals locking up whole systems and taxpayers footing the bill. The consultation will consider views on extending the ransom payment ban from central government departments…
Category: Legislation
New York Modifies Data Breach Law Heading Into 2025
Liisa M. Thomas and Kathryn Smith of Sheppard Mullin write: As 2024 came to a close, New York Gov. Hochul signed two bills (A8872A and S2376B) amending New York’s data breach law. The modifications change both what constitutes personal information under the law, as well as modifying notification timing. The notice modification is now in effect; the…
Minnesota schools must report cybersecurity incidents under new law
Anna Merod reports: Dive Brief: Minnesota public school districts, charter schools and colleges must now report cybersecurity incidents such as ransomware or network attacks under a newly enacted state law. The information that schools report to Minnesota will not be shared publicly, unlike with similar statewide data breach reporting requirements in California and Maine. Instead, the information will be anonymized…
Wyden seeks stricter telecom cyber standards following Salt Typhoon breach
Martin Matishak reports: Sen. Ron Wyden on Tuesday unveiled legislation that would require the Federal Communications Commission to set cybersecurity standards for telecom companies, as the policymakers grapple with the ongoing breach of U.S. phone networks by Chinese hackers. The draft measure from the Oregon Democrat comes days after Senate lawmakers received a classified briefing about the wide-scale…
Unprecedented increase in liability for personal data leaks in the Russian Federation to take effect in May 2025
Advant Beiten writes: A law increasing administrative liability for personal data leaks was signed on 30 November 2024 (No. 420-FZ) (the “Law“). The Law will enter into force on 30 May 2025. A new article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation also enters into force on 11 December 2024. It establishes liability for the illegal use and/or transfer,…
Recent Texas Case Highlights Increasing Relevance of Privacy and Security Laws to E-Discovery Process
Of note from Hunton Andrews Kurth: On November 6, 2024, a Texas state district court jury found that a large e-discovery vendor violated Title 7, Chapter 33 of the Texas Penal Code, which provides that accessing a computer without its owner’s permission is a Class B misdemeanor. This case highlights the importance for e-discovery vendors…