Is SHA-256 secure? Legal & Compliance Experts Say Yes—Here’s Why

SHA-256 is one of the most widely used cryptographic hashing algorithms, playing a crucial role in securing digital information. Part of the Secure Hash Algorithm 2 (SHA-2) family, SHA-256 ensures data integrity, safeguards sensitive information, and authenticates digital evidence and records in legal and compliance scenarios.

WORM storage, or "write once, read many" (WORM) compliant storage, is a regulatory necessity in industries like finance, healthcare, and government.

Can screenshots be used in court?

Before hash values, proving the authenticity of digital evidence could be tricky — especially if opposing counsel was determined to exclude the evidence.

Requesting production of documents and responding to requests for production (RFP) are key aspects of the discovery process, allowing both parties involved in a legal matter access to crucial evidence.

The healthcare industry has come up against unprecedented pressure in recent years. Digital transformation has had a significant role to play when it comes to creating the efficiency needed to deal with the challenges of a global pandemic, in addition to the other mounting challenges of aging populations, staffing shortages, rising costs, and regulatory changes.

At the end of 2021, J.P. Morgan Securities (JPMS) agreed to pay $200 million to resolve charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). It would pay the SEC $125 million and the CFTC $75 million.

It’s crucial that financial services organizations adhere to official communications and recordkeeping rules. More than ever, the SEC (and other regulators) are scrutinizing how firms communicate with external stakeholders—and how they keep records of these communications.

How devastating can misinformation on social media be? According to a growing number of local governments, the answer is “very damaging indeed”. So much so that San Diego County declared health misinformation a public health crisis on August 31, 2021, a move that was soon followed by Jefferson County (WA), Clark County (NV) and Contra Costa County (CA) – and the list of counties joining them continues to grow.

If you’re involved in eDiscovery in any way, you’ve undoubtedly come across JSON files. These files increasingly act as the way in which we access and interact with digital evidence—especially as the limitations of screenshot evidence are highlighted by courts. But what exactly is a JSON file? And why are so many legal professionals absolutely frustrated with this format?