October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, which serves as an annual reminder to us all to stay secure online. For the legal industry in particular, Australian law firms are facing mounting pressure to secure their digital activities whilst staying efficient and compliant.
For those legal practices handling client funds, the shift towards Consumer Data Right (CDR)-compliant bank feeds isn’t just a secure technological upgrade—it’s a necessity that will future-proof those firms.
Automated bank feeds that are set up using CDR-compliant practices enable lawyers to seamlessly connect their bank and credit card accounts to their Practice Management Software (PMS). This allows lawyers to reduce administrative tasks and save time by prefilling transaction information, thereby eliminating the need to enter received and spent money transactions manually.
Most bank feeds are automated using screen scraping methods.
Screen scraping is the practice of using computer programs to extract data from a display screen, such as a webpage or application interface. This method is often employed when there is no direct means of accessing the data.
A screen scraper program navigates a page, just like a human user would. It identifies and extracts data that is visible on screen. The collected data is then converted to a different format for use.
Screen scraping is commonly used for bank feeds because it is easy to develop; however, it violates banking terms and conditions by sharing private information (namely, bank login information) with third parties.
As such, law firms should look for CDR-compliant bank feed providers who can help them protect their sensitive banking information whilst still supporting legal practitioners to reduce manual data entry, thus saving themselves time.
With cyber security awareness underpinning this article, uncover how CDR-compliant bank feeds keep Australian law firms secure. Plus, read three reasons why, this Cyber Security Awareness Month, legal practitioners can benefit from introducing CDR-compliant bank feeds.
There are benefits for those law firms that connect their bank accounts to their PMS. Real-time transactional flow enables firms to be more efficient and reduce any errors resulting from manual data entry.
However, screen scraping solutions are not the answer.
In mid-2023, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) released a discussion paper regarding the policy and regulatory implications of screen scraping. The paper outlines how screen scraping practices pose a significant privacy and security risk to individuals.
“Screen scraping should be prohibited and that further consideration be given to the privacy obligations of unaccredited entities that collect personal information through the CDR, to ensure the CDR is a mature and effective alternative for sharing personal information…The OAIC considers the CDR to be a safer and more secure alternative to screen scraping. The CDR has a strong privacy and security framework for businesses accredited to collect information through the CDR system.”
Following the OAIC discussion paper, in March 2025, the Albanese Government announced its intention to ban screen scraping. The Government also announced the expansion of CDR into non-bank lending industries from mid-2026.
If law firms continue to use screen scraping solutions, they risk losing access to this feature in the future, which will, in turn, force their firm to revert to old, manual methods of data entry. SILQ provides cloud-based legal practice management software in Australia and offers Solicitors and Barristers CDR-compliant automated bank feeds through its partnership with accredited integration provider Basiq.
Rather than scrambling to meet future regulatory requirements, forward-thinking firms can utilise market-first solutions like SILQ today, protecting their practice whilst demonstrating due diligence to clients and professional bodies.
Given that October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, it pays to know how CDR-compliant bank feeds can keep your bank funds, and thus your firm, more secure.
CDR-compliant bank feeds offer a secure alternative to screen scraping, as they fundamentally transform how legal practices access financial data. CDR-compliance eliminates the need to share and thus compromise bank login credentials. This approach significantly reduces fraud and scam opportunities, as there are no stored passwords for malicious actors to intercept or misuse. For law firms managing any financial transactions, this enhanced security model provides peace of mind that traditional methods cannot match.
The implications extend beyond the immediate security benefits of keeping funds safe and secure. Legal practices face stringent professional obligations regarding client confidentiality and data protection. A security breach involving client financial information can severely damage a firm’s reputation, lead to professional sanctions, and result in substantial financial liability. CDR-compliant bank feeds help firms meet their ethical obligations whilst reducing exposure to cyber threats that could compromise client trust and professional standing.
SILQ’s automated bank feeds exemplify this security-first approach, utilising CDR-compliance to ensure that sensitive banking information remains protected throughout the data transfer process. This means lawyers can access essential financial data without exposing their firm to the inherent risks of credential sharing.
Furthermore, SILQ is certified with SOC2 compliance, which offers our clients increased peace of mind that all their data, beyond just banking information, is safe and secure.
Beyond security considerations, CDR-compliant automated bank feeds offer superior reliability compared to traditional screen scraping methods. For those law firms that use automated bank feed solutions via screen scraping, it’s not uncommon to experience disruptions when staff update passwords or modify multi-factor authentication procedures, often resulting in failed data synchronisation requiring manual intervention. This leads to downtime, which in an industry heavily reliant on billable hours, time that cannot be billed is wasted.
CDR-compliant platforms remain unaffected by these routine security updates, maintaining consistent data flow regardless of changes to individual authentication protocols. This reliability translates directly into operational efficiency, reducing the administrative burden on legal staff and minimising the risk of financial reporting errors.
These efficiency gains represent genuine cost savings. Manual reconciliation processes, troubleshooting connection issues, and managing authentication problems consume valuable billable time that could be better invested in client service. SILQ’s automated bank feeds eliminate these friction points, allowing legal professionals to focus on legal work rather than technical maintenance.
The reliability advantages compound over time. Consistent, automated data feeds improve financial reporting accuracy, streamline compliance processes, and reduce the risk of human error in financial management. These operational improvements can significantly impact profitability whilst enhancing service quality.
Cyber Security Awareness Month reminds us that cybersecurity isn’t just about preventing attacks—it’s about building resilient systems that protect stakeholders and enable business growth.
With government support, enhanced security protocols, and superior reliability, CDR-compliance represents the future of financial data management in legal practice. It’s time for Australian law firms to recognise that CDR-compliance represents the gold standard for secure, efficient, and future-proofed financial data management.
