Mossack Fonseca: Panama Papers

Mossack Fonseca, a Panama-based law firm, specializes in Corporate Law, fiduciary services, investment advice, and international business. In April 2016, several media around the world revealed that they had a set of 11.5 million confidential documents from this firm, which had been obtained by an anonymous source with access to the firm's information systems and databases. According to the media, the documents showed how wealthy individuals used offshore companies to hide their assets from public scrutiny. The scandal had severely undermined the reputation of Mossack Fonseca's clients -including many high public officials and renowned celebrities. Carlos Sousa, the law firm's Public Relations head, had to write a news release to address the terrible scandal involving the so-called Panama Papers. Mossack Fonseca's clients interacted heavily with the firm via its web portal, which ran on open-code software and, as reported when the scandal made international headlines, featured multiple vulnerabilities that threatened information security. Carlos found it hard to fathom the impact the public knowledge of this vulnerabilities would have on the firm's clients, and he knew he had to announce remedial actions. What should Mossack Fonseca communicate to the press and its clients? Could the firm have prevented this cyberattack? What steps should the law firm take?

• Cybersecurity
• IT security management
• Public relations