Mullen Coughlin, Cybersecurity & Data Privacy

May 4 is World Password Day – a day to promote better password habits!

As the leader in data privacy and information security law, Mullen Coughlin recognizes the importance of good password hygiene and its benefits in not only protecting yours and your organization’s sensitive or protected data, but also in its consideration when procuring cyber insurance and as a mitigating effect to potential data privacy and security incidents. 

Partner Kevin Dolan, Co-Chair of Mullen Coughlin’s Advisory Compliance practice, provides the below best practices for better password hygiene and management:

1. Use a strong and complex password that is at least 12 characters long, using a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols;

2. Use unique passwords for each account and change those passwords regularly (at least once every 3 months);

3. Enable and use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for an added layer of protection;

4. Do not store passwords on public networks or devices, and if possible, do not save them on your computer, mobile device or internet browsers; Instead, use an encrypted password management app; and

5. Keep all your devices and software up-to-date to protect yourself from vulnerabilities that can lead to unauthorized access to your accounts/data or attempts to steal/harvest your password(s).

Good password hygiene is an important step in pre-incident data privacy and information security planning and management, and is oftentimes considered when organizations are faced with litigation or regulatory investigation that stems from a data privacy and security incident.

Mullen Coughlin is available to assists organizations with a full range of pre-incident planning initiatives through our Advisory Compliance services. Contact us 24/7/365 at 267.930.4770 or email at .

Continuing Mullen Coughlin’s partnership with Travelers and the Travelers Institute, Managing Member Jennifer Coughlin joins regional directors from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) for the Charlotte, NC program of the Travelers Institute’s “Cyber: Prepare, Prevent, Mitigate, Restore” series of national educational symposiums on May 23, 2023.

Jenn, along with Travelers’ VP and Enterprise Cyber Lead Tim Francis and CISA’s Region 4 Regional Director Julius Gamble, will share her experience and perspectives on data privacy and security risk management gleaned from Mullen Coughlin’s collective experience in responding to, and investigating, over 25,000 data privacy and security incidents. The panel also discusses the importance of developing comprehensive cybersecurity strategies that encompass prevention, detection, response and recovery.

Learn more and register to attend on the Travelers Institute event page.

Mullen Coughlin Co-Founder and Managing Member, Jennifer Coughlin, was announced as a member of Cybersecurity Docket’s “Incident Response 50” at the 2023 Incident Response Forum Masterclass on April 20, 2023.

The “Incident Response 50” is a list of the 50 best data breach response lawyers from the top firms in data privacy and security, including Mullen Coughlin. This is Jennifer’s sixth time being listed as a top data breach response lawyer, having been honored in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Jennifer’s inclusion on the list is a testament to her continued leadership in the industry and Mullen Coughlin’s success in responding to, and investigating, over 25,000 incidents since 2016. This recognition follows her being named the recipient of the “Cyber Person of the Year – USA” award at the 2022 Zywave Cyber Risk Awards last June and Mullen Coughlin being named for the third time as “Cyber Law Firm of the Year.”

Congratulations, Jennifer!