Small Companies Scramble on Microsoft Hack as Legal Threat Looms

Small and medium-sized organizations that lack cyber resources and response capabilities could face legal claims if they don’t react fast enough to a global hack of Microsoft Corp.‘s popular email software.

Organizations using Microsoft’s Exchange software must figure out whether they or one of their vendors might have fallen victim, and what data may have been accessed or stolen.

Failing to patch the issue right away, despite warnings from the U.S. government about the hack’s urgency, could leave organizations vulnerable to legal claims that they didn’t secure their systems.

“This is a type of suit we have seen,” ...