CIPA Law Firm Security Assessment Report

A comprehensive security analysis of law firms actively pursuing CIPA lawsuits, revealing the gap between the privacy standards they enforce and their own practices.

Executive Summary

Security assessment findings for CIPA lawsuit plaintiff law firms

Key Findings

Critical Security Gaps

All four firms have significant security vulnerabilities

Information Disclosure Risks

Edelson PC has publicly accessible test directory with client content

Transport Security Issues

Multiple firms lack proper HTTPS security headers

Legal Implications

Attorney-Client Privilege Risk

Security vulnerabilities could compromise confidential client communications and data.

Professional Ethics Concerns

Firms prosecuting privacy violations maintain significant security gaps in their own operations.

Litigation Strategy Impact

These findings could affect credibility in current and future CIPA cases.

Methodology

Passive Reconnaissance

DNS analysis, certificate inspection, public resource enumeration

Security Headers

HTTP security header analysis using OWASP standards

Risk Assessment

CVSS 3.1 scoring with business impact analysis

Edelson PC

National class action law firm filing CIPA lawsuits

https://edelson.com/

CRITICAL RISK

Score: 100/100

Security Headers Assessment

HSTS

Transport Security

CSP

Content Security

X-Frame-Options

Clickjacking

Content-Type

MIME Sniffing

Security Findings

Test directory publicly accessible (/test/)

Information Disclosure

CRITICAL

CVSS: 9.1

88KB of potentially sensitive development content exposed

Contains client testimonial content and internal development files accessible without authentication

Missing Content Security Policy header

Content Security

HIGH

CVSS: 6.1

Vulnerable to cross-site scripting attacks

No XSS protection implemented at the HTTP header level

Missing X-Frame-Options header

Clickjacking Protection

MEDIUM

CVSS: 4.3

Site can be embedded in malicious iframes

Allows potential clickjacking attacks against users

Business Impact

High risk to attorney-client privilege. Exposed test content could contain confidential client information.

Legal Hypocrisy Assessment

While suing businesses for privacy violations, maintains exposed test directory with potential client data.

Swigart Law Group

San Diego-based law firm specializing in CIPA litigation

https://www.swigartlawgroup.com/

HIGH RISK

Score: 50/100

Security Headers Assessment

HSTS

Transport Security

CSP

Content Security

X-Frame-Options

Clickjacking

Content-Type

MIME Sniffing

Security Findings

Missing HSTS header

Transport Security

HIGH

CVSS: 7.5

Traffic vulnerable to downgrade attacks

Client communications not protected against SSL stripping attacks

Missing X-Frame-Options header

Clickjacking Protection

MEDIUM

CVSS: 4.3

Site can be embedded in malicious iframes

No protection against clickjacking attacks

TLS certificate management issues

Certificate Management

HIGH

CVSS: 7.5

Potential service disruption and trust issues

Certificate expiry monitoring appears insufficient

Business Impact

Medium risk to client confidentiality. Transport security gaps could expose attorney-client communications.

Legal Hypocrisy Assessment

Prosecutes companies for security lapses while having significant transport security vulnerabilities.

Phillips Erlewine Given & Carlin LLP

Corporate law firm handling CIPA cases

https://www.phillaw.com/

HIGH RISK

Score: 70/100

Security Headers Assessment

HSTS

Transport Security

CSP

Content Security

X-Frame-Options

Clickjacking

Content-Type

MIME Sniffing

Security Findings

Missing Content Security Policy header

Content Security

HIGH

CVSS: 6.1

Vulnerable to cross-site scripting attacks

No XSS protection mechanisms in place

Potential Git repository exposure

Source Code Disclosure

CRITICAL

CVSS: 9.1

Source code and credentials at risk

Git directory may be accessible, risking sensitive information disclosure

TLS certificate management concerns

Certificate Management

HIGH

CVSS: 7.5

Service disruption risk

Certificate monitoring and renewal processes need attention

Business Impact

High risk due to potential source code exposure. Could reveal client information and internal processes.

Legal Hypocrisy Assessment

Files lawsuits over privacy violations while potentially exposing own source code and sensitive data.

Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP

Securities and consumer class action law firm

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/

HIGH RISK

Score: 55/100

Security Headers Assessment

HSTS

Transport Security

CSP

Content Security

X-Frame-Options

Clickjacking

Content-Type

MIME Sniffing

Security Findings

Missing HSTS header

Transport Security

HIGH

CVSS: 7.5

Traffic vulnerable to downgrade attacks

SSL stripping attacks could compromise client communications

Missing Content Security Policy header

Content Security

HIGH

CVSS: 6.1

Vulnerable to cross-site scripting attacks

No protection against XSS attacks targeting client data

TLS certificate management issues

Certificate Management

HIGH

CVSS: 7.5

Service disruption and trust issues

Certificate lifecycle management needs improvement

Business Impact

Medium-high risk to client data security. Multiple attack vectors available to malicious actors.

Legal Hypocrisy Assessment

Pursues companies for privacy violations while maintaining multiple security vulnerabilities.

Remediation Recommendations

Actionable security improvements for law firms to address identified vulnerabilities

Immediate Actions (Critical)

1

Remove Exposed Test Directories

Immediately restrict access to /test/ and similar development paths

2

Implement Security Headers

Configure HSTS, CSP, and X-Frame-Options headers

3

Review Certificate Management

Implement automated certificate monitoring and renewal

Long-term Improvements

1

Security Audit Program

Implement regular security assessments and penetration testing

2

Security Training

Staff training on web security best practices and OWASP guidelines

3

Incident Response Plan

Develop procedures for security incidents affecting client data

The CIPA Paradox: A Call for Consistent Standards

This investigation reveals a troubling disconnect between the privacy and security standards law firms enforce against others and those they maintain for themselves. For CIPA litigation to serve justice rather than selective enforcement, all parties—including the legal profession— must be held to the same rigorous standards.