With the CPRA set to become effective in a little more than three months, Ballard Spahr partners Phil Yannella and Greg Szewczyk discuss CPRA rule-making, the recent Sephora settlement, and outline key compliance steps that businesses should address before the January 1, 2023 deadline.
Webinar Recording – An Overview of the American Data Privacy and Protection Act
In the latest episode in our monthly webcast series, Privacy and Data Security practice co-leaders Phil Yannella and Greg Szewczyk give a comprehensive rundown of the American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA), including: The status of the bill, key components, the private right of action, and the bill’s differences from state laws. Phil
Third Circuit Ruling in Wiretap Case May Bring Greater Scrutiny to Privacy Policy Disclosures
In a class action with potentially significant impact on data sharing disclosures that companies routinely provide in online privacy policies, the Third Circuit recently ruled that NaviStone, a third party marketing service, was not a “direct party” under the Pennsylvania Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act (WESCA) and thus was potentially subject to liquidated damages
CFPB Warns Failure to Safeguard Consumer Data May Be Unfair Act or Practice
The CFPB recently published a circular confirming that covered persons and service providers under the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA) may violate the CFPA’s prohibition against unfair acts or practices when they fail to adequately safeguard consumer information. However, the lack of clear substantive standards creates uncertainty as to what the CFPB would deem to be adequate data security practices.
Pursuant to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the FTC and federal banking agencies have promulgated rules and interagency guidelines requiring financial institutions to establish appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the security and confidentiality of customer information. Such safeguards include restricted access to customer information, encryption of information, and periodic reports on the information security program to the board of directors, among other requirements. In the August 11, 2022 circular, the CFPB stated that failure to comply with these specific requirements may also be an unfair act or practice under the CFPA in certain circumstances, but “[w]hile these requirements often overlap, they are not coextensive.” This leaves open the question of what exact security measures companies would need to implement in order to avoid an unfairness violation under the CFPA.
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NYDFS Announces Draft Amendments to Cybersecurity Regulation
On July 29, 2022, the New York Department of Financial Services (“NYDFS”) released Draft Amendments to its Cyber Security Regulations. The Amendments, if adopted, would further regulatory trends and impose important new requirements on covered entities.
The Amendments contain three significant changes relating to ransomware. First, the Amendment specifically adds “the deployment of ransomware
Privacy Primer for Startups
Greg Szewczyk and Phil Yannella sat down with Kimberly Klayman to give a privacy update for startups in Technical.ly. Read the full interview here.
Webinar Recording – The Latest Wave of VPPA Litigation
In the latest episode in our monthly webcast series, Privacy and Data Security practice co-leaders Phil Yannella and Greg Szewczyk discuss the past, present, and future of VPPA litigation and proactive steps to mitigate the risk of VPPA litigation.
GAO Report Recommends DHS and Treasury Assess Federal Response to Cyber Attacks
In a report released June 21, 2022, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) urged the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Department of the Treasury’s (Treasury) Federal Insurance Office (FIO) to jointly assess whether the risk to critical infrastructure and potential financial exposures from catastrophic cyber incidents warrant
Webinar Recording – Crypto Breaches: Legal & Regulatory Update
The FTC recently reported that over $650 mm worth of cryptocurrency was stolen by hackers last year. Thus far, over $320 mm in cryptocurrency has been stolen by hackers this year. Not surprisingly, this surge in crypto breaches has led to litigation. In our monthly webcast series, Ballard partners Phil Yannella, Greg Szewczyk and
Unpacking the FTC’s Recent Blog Post Regarding Breach Notification
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued a blog post stating that a failure to disclose a data breach may be a violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act. The May 20 blog post, titled Security Beyond Prevention: The Importance of Effective Breach Disclosures, explained that in some instances, the FTC Act