After years of development and extensive stakeholder engagement, California has finalized groundbreaking cybersecurity audit regulations under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). These new requirements may significantly impact how covered businesses protect consumer data.
The New Regulations
The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) Board approved comprehensive amendments to CCPA regulations covering cybersecurity audits, risk assessments
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming businesses—automating tasks, powering analytics, and reshaping customer interactions. But like any powerful tool, AI is a double-edged sword. While some adopt AI for protection, attackers are using it to scale and intensify cybercrime. Here’s a high-level discussion at emerging AI-powered cyber risks in 2025—and steps organizations can take to defend.
The FTC recently settled its enforcement action involving data privacy and security allegations against an online seller of customized merchandise. In addition to agreeing to pay $500,000, the online merchant consented to multiyear compliance, recordkeeping, and FTC reporting requirements. The essence of the FTC’s seven count Complaint is that the merchant failed to properly disclose
The Massachusetts Information Privacy and Security Act (MIPSA) continues to advance through the state legislative process, and is now before the full legislature. While the Act has several hurdles to clear before becoming law, its notable for two reasons. First, the comprehensive nature of the MIPSA exemplifies the direction state data protection laws are heading
When Massachusetts issued its data security regulations in 2009 (Regulations), it led the way for states on data security. The Regulations became effective 12 years ago, almost to the day, March 1, 2010. The Bay State is now contemplating comprehensive privacy legislation, the Massachusetts Information Privacy and Security Act (MIPSA), similar to what has been
Last week, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced the launch of its Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative (“the Initiative”) aimed at combating “new and emerging cyber threats to the security of sensitive information and critical systems” specifically targeting accountability of cybersecurity obligations for federal contractors and federal grant recipients, by way of the False Claims Act. The
Effective October 1, 2021, Connecticut becomes the third state with a data breach litigation “safe harbor” law (Public Act No. 21-119), joining Utah and Ohio. In short, the Connecticut law prohibits courts in the state from assessing punitive damages in data breach litigation against a covered defendant that created, maintained, and complied with
In April, we posted about the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) issuing cybersecurity guidance for employee retirement plans. That is, April 14, 2021. Shortly thereafter, the DOL updated its audit inquiries to include probing questions for plan fiduciaries about their compliance with “hot off the press” agency guidelines.
So, what
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently released a preliminary draft of its Cybersecurity Framework Profile for Ransomware Risk Management. The public comment period for this draft runs through July 9, 2021. NIST says “The profile can be used as a guide to managing the risk of ransomware events. That includes helping
In mid-March, Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed into law the Cybersecurity Affirmative Defense Act (HB80) (“the Act”), an amendment to Utah’s data breach notification law, creating several affirmative defenses for persons (defined below) facing a cause of action arising out of a breach of system security, and establishing the requirements for asserting such