In addition to recently passing a cybersecurity safe harbor law, Connecticut also updated its data breach notification law. Connecticut joins Texas in passing changes to breach notification requirements this year. There are three key changes included in this amendment.
Continue Reading Connecticut Expands Data Breach Notification Law, Changes Effective October 1, 2021
Connecticut recently enacted cybersecurity legislation that provides a safe harbor for businesses that implement a written cybersecurity program. Under the legislation, set to go in effect on October 1, 2021, punitive damages will not be assessed on a business that has suffered a data breach, in the event that there are causes of action alleging a failure to implement reasonable cybersecurity controls, which failure resulted in the breach.
Continue Reading Connecticut Enacts New Cybersecurity Safe Harbor
Echoing other agencies in recent weeks, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued an alert sharing resources to address and protect institutions against the recent influx of ransomware attacks. Resources included a White House Memo urging companies to strengthen their commitment to cybersecurity.
Continue Reading OCR Urges Private Sector to Beef Up Ransomware Protections
Colorado recently joined Virginia and California in passing a more comprehensive privacy law. The Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) will go into effect July 1, 2023. This is six months after Virginia’s law (CDPA) and California’s Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), which amends the existing CCPA, go into effect. The law does not have a private right of action, and the AG is to adopt regulations on certain aspects by July 1, 2023.
Continue Reading And Then There Were Three: Colorado Passes Privacy Law, Effective July 2023
The New York State Department of Financial Services recently announced new guidance addressing ransomware attacks, and highlighting cybersecurity measures to significantly reduce the risk of an attack. The guidance comes as ransomware rates have been increasing, and builds on the post SolarWinds guidance from NYDFS about supply chain management. It was released just prior to the most recent large attack, namely the July 2nd supply-chain ransomware attack centered on the U.S. information technology firm Kaseya.
Continue Reading NYDFS Issues Ransomware Guidance
The Georgia Supreme Court recently concluded that Georgia’s equivalent of the CFAA should be viewed narrowly, similar to the US Supreme Court’s recent, similar decision in Van Buren. In Kinslow v. State, the Georgia Supreme Court held that even if there is unauthorized use of a computer or computer network, there must be enough evidence to prove that the defendant used the computer network knowingly without authority and with the intention of obstructing or interfering with the use of data.
Continue Reading New Decision Narrows Scope of Georgia Computer Trespass Statute
The European Commission announced today a long-awaited decision that the UK data protection standards are adequate under the meaning of GDPR’s Article 45, providing a mechanism to enable transfer of data from the EU to the UK without the need for additional authorisation or putting in place additional safeguards. This decision will be in force for four years but can be withdrawn if the UK were to lower its standards and no longer provide EU citizens adequate protection for their personal data. The decision excludes personal data that is transferred for purposes of United Kingdom immigration control.
Continue Reading Free Data Flow to the UK May Continue – EU Adopts Adequacy Decision
Texas’s data breach notification law was recently amended to require the state’s Attorney General to post notice of data breaches on a public website within 30 days of receiving notice of the data breach. It also requires companies to provide the AG with more information when notifying the AG of a breach.
Continue Reading Texas Breach Notification Law Amended, Changes Effective September 1, 2021
MoviePass, a movie subscription service, has agreed to a proposed settlement with the FTC over alleged deception and lack of security allegations. The now-defunct company not only allegedly marketed its service as a “one movie per day” service – yet took steps to actively deny subscribers such access – it also failed, according to the FTC, to secure subscriber’s personal data. The company also was alleged to have violated the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confident Act, which impacts the offering of “negative option” (subscription) services.
Continue Reading FTC Settles Security Claims With Both MoviePass and Its Owners
New York City recently enacted a biometric ordinance that is set to come into effect July 9, 2021. With this ordinance, NYC joins other cities (like Portland) in regulating the use of biometric information. The ordinance may impact retailers, restaurants, and entertainment venues in the city that use security cameras with facial-recognition technology or otherwise collect biometric identifiers from their customers.
Continue Reading New York City Biometric Ordinance Effective July 9, Are You Ready?
Starting this fall, companies transferring personal data from the European Economic Area (EEA) will likely begin to see a flurry of contract renegotiations. On June 4, 2021, the European Commission adopted long awaited new Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) for transfers out of the EEA. SCCs have been one of the more popular ways for Companies to transfer personal data from the EEA to third countries whose privacy laws have not been deemed “adequate” (like the US). The prior SCCs pre-date GDPR (see our discussion here), and have been updated to (1) more directly address GDPR and (2) because of comments in Schrems II last July, which called into question their use (the court noted that even under SCCs, certain “supplementary measures” might be needed for cross-border transfers).
Continue Reading Understanding When to Use Two New Sets of Standard Contractual Clauses Issued by the EU