# Cybersecurity: Law Firms Face AI-Driven Threats > Law firms increasingly targeted by AI-powered cyberattacks, with 13% of firms breached in 2026. - Title: Cybersecurity: Law Firms Face AI-Driven Threats | Shortify - Summary: Law firms increasingly targeted by AI-powered cyberattacks, with 13% of firms breached in 2026. Law firms face rising AI-driven cyberattacks, with 13%… - Keywords: law firms, ai attacks, cybersecurity, data breaches, law firm technology, tabush group, weil gotshal, fox rothchild, buchalter, arrowhead regional medical center, christine lofgren, tusan law - Source: Los Angeles Business Journal — https://labusinessjournal.com/uncategorized/cybersecurity-evaluating-risk - Author: staff-author - Published: 2026-10-19T07:38:07+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: law firms, ai attacks, cybersecurity, data breaches, law firm technology, tabush group, weil gotshal, fox rothchild, buchalter, arrowhead regional medical center, christine lofgren, tusan law ## ShinyHunters Breach The FBI recruitment portal was breached by ShinyHunters in late September 2026, exposing thousands of employees' sensitive information. > The cybercriminal group ShinyHunters had breached an FBI recruitment portal ## Rising Cyberattacks Law firms experienced a 6% to 13% increase in cyberattacks since 2025, according to the 2026 Tabush Group survey. > the number of cyberattacks has more than doubled since 2025 ## Financial Impact Data breaches cost law firms an average of $4.99 million, with ai-driven attacks averaging $6 million each. > the average global incident totaled $4.99 million ## Recent Breaches Weil, Gotshal & Manges and Fox Rothchild faced data extortion incidents, leading to class action lawsuits. > Weil, Gotshal & Manges was the victim of a sizable data extortion incident ## Buchalter Incident Buchalter reported a breach involving Arrowhead Regional Medical Center's client data in 2026. > Buchalter was also recently hit, reporting an incident involving their client, arrowhead regional medical center ## AI Threats Hackers use ai to automate phishing scams and create convincing impersonations of clients and institutions. > cybercriminals are stepping up their game in the age of ai, using the technology to automate phishing scams ## Christine Lofgren Christine Lofgren teaches generative ai for lawyers at Southwestern Law School and warns about ai's impact on data security. > the legal profession is entrusted with a lot of confidential information ## Christina Tusan Christina Tusan, a former federal trade commission attorney, highlights risks of ai in financial transactions and phishing. > wire transfer requests are particularly vulnerable ## Phishing Scams Tusan and Lofgren report phishing scams targeting law firm staff with fake emails and qr codes. > a law firm can have a highly secure system, but it can all be undone with a simple scan or click ## AI in Law Firms Law firms use ai for legal research and administrative tasks, but face risks of data leaks and hallucinations. > if an attorney inputs confidential client information into a generative ai application, the data can lose confidentiality ## Tusan's Advice Tusan recommends verifying all financial transactions by phone and blocking phishing attempts to prevent breaches. > most people don’t know that if the addressee and wire number don’t match, banks will often still let the wire go through ## AI Security Assessments Blank Rome conducts security assessments before implementing ai products to ensure data safety. > we use ai in a closed environment in which questions are processed within the firm’s own systems ## California Bar Guidance The California State Bar requires lawyers to avoid inputting confidential client data into ai tools without informed consent. > the duty of competence requires more than the mere detection and elimination of false or fabricated ai-generated results ## Diane Cafferata Diane Cafferata emphasizes the need for lawyers to understand ai tools' limitations to prevent breaches. > lawyers and law firms remain responsible for complying with those duties ## AI as Junior Colleague Lofgren advises lawyers to view ai as a junior colleague requiring supervision for accurate legal research. > a lawyer who already understands the relevant law may be able to use ai to quickly identify cases ## Next Steps Law firms must implement strict ai security protocols to protect client data and prevent breaches. > it is very important for everyone to block and report any phishing attempts or unsolicited calls ## Key takeaway Law firms face rising AI-driven cyberattacks, with 13% breached in 2026, requiring strict cybersecurity protocols to protect client data.