In a recent Modern Restaurant Magazine article titled, “Bridging the Gap: Integrating Legal and Insurance Consideration into Restaurant Cybersecurity Response,” co-authored by Aly Dossa, Shareholder and Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property and Data Security & Privacy Practices, and Al Flores, Ybarra Investments, Inc. General Counsel, the authors examine how restaurant operators can better prepare for and respond to cyber incidents by incorporating legal and insurance considerations into their cybersecurity strategies. As cyberattacks targeting restaurants have increased, many operators remain underprepared to manage the legal liabilities and insurance implications of such breaches.
This article explores how restaurants can better prepare for cyber incidents by focusing on the following:
- Pre-Incident Planning - Restaurants must create comprehensive, cross-functional incident response plans that address legal, technical, and insurance obligations.
- Third-Party Vendor Risks - Operators should manage vendor relationships carefully with strong contracts, clear security expectations, and ongoing risk assessments.
- Effective Post-Breach Response - A coordinated, legally informed, and well-documented response is essential for compliance, customer trust, and insurance coverage.
- Understanding Cyber Insurance - Restaurant operators need to understand their policies’ coverage triggers, exclusions, and vendor requirements to avoid denied claims.
- Ongoing Preparedness and Training - Regular cybersecurity training and legal reviews help staff recognize threats and keep protocols up to date.
- Continuous Improvement - Post-incident reviews should drive updates to procedures, documentation, and training to strengthen overall cyber resilience.
By viewing cybersecurity as a business-wide risk—rather than just an IT issue—restaurant operators can build stronger, more resilient operations equipped to protect both their business and their customers.
Access the full article online here.