Non-Disclosure Agreement
Protect sensitive penetration testing data, vulnerability reports, and client SIEM configurations with a New York-specific non-disclosure agreement for cybersecurity-cons
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Cybersecurity Consultants servicing clients in New York are frequently sued when a data breach occurs during a penetration test or vulnerability assessment of a financial institution’s network,... Read more
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Legal Document
This Non-Disclosure Agreement (this "Agreement") is entered into as of [effective_date] (the "Effective Date"), by and between [disclosing_party] (the "Disclosing Party") and [receiving_party] (the "Receiving Party"). The Disclosing Party and the Receiving Party may be referred to herein individually as a "Party" and collectively as the "Parties."
WHEREAS, the Disclosing Party possesses certain confidential and proprietary information relating to its business, operations, products, services, research, development, technical data, trade secrets, and other matters (collectively, "Confidential Information"); and
WHEREAS, the Receiving Party desires to receive, and the Disclosing Party is willing to disclose, certain Confidential Information for the purpose of evaluating or pursuing a potential business relationship between the Parties (the "Purpose"); and
WHEREAS, as a condition to the disclosure of such Confidential Information, the Disclosing Party requires that the Receiving Party agree to maintain the confidentiality of such information in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:
"Confidential Information" means any and all non-public information, in any form or medium, whether written, oral, electronic, visual, or otherwise, that is disclosed by the Disclosing Party to the Receiving Party, either directly or indirectly, including but not limited to: [confidential_info]. Confidential Information shall also include any notes, analyses, compilations, studies, summaries, or other materials prepared by the Receiving Party that contain, reflect, or are derived from Confidential Information. Confidential Information shall not include information that: (a) is or becomes generally available to the public through no fault, act, or omission of the Receiving Party; (b) was already in the Receiving Party's possession without restriction prior to disclosure by the Disclosing Party, as evidenced by the Receiving Party's written records; (c) is independently developed by the Receiving Party without use of or reference to the Confidential Information, as evidenced by the Receiving Party's written records; or (d) is obtained by the Receiving Party from a third party who is not, to the Receiving Party's knowledge, under any obligation of confidentiality with respect to such information.
The Receiving Party agrees that it shall: (a) hold the Confidential Information in strict confidence and protect it with at least the same degree of care that it uses to protect its own confidential and proprietary information, but in no event less than a reasonable degree of care; (b) not disclose, publish, or otherwise disseminate the Confidential Information to any third party without the prior written consent of the Disclosing Party; (c) use the Confidential Information solely for the Purpose and not for any other purpose whatsoever; (d) limit access to the Confidential Information to those of its employees, officers, directors, agents, advisors, and representatives (collectively, "Representatives") who have a need to know such information for the Purpose and who are bound by obligations of confidentiality no less restrictive than those contained herein; and (e) be responsible for any breach of this Agreement by any of its Representatives. The Receiving Party shall promptly notify the Disclosing Party in writing upon discovery of any unauthorized use or disclosure of Confidential Information.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Receiving Party may disclose Confidential Information to the extent required by applicable law, regulation, or valid court order or subpoena (a "Legal Requirement"), provided that the Receiving Party: (a) provides the Disclosing Party with prompt written notice of such Legal Requirement prior to disclosure (to the extent legally permissible), so that the Disclosing Party may seek a protective order or other appropriate remedy; (b) cooperates with the Disclosing Party, at the Disclosing Party's expense, in seeking such protective order or other remedy; and (c) discloses only that portion of the Confidential Information that the Receiving Party is legally required to disclose, as advised by its legal counsel. Any Confidential Information disclosed pursuant to a Legal Requirement shall continue to be treated as Confidential Information for all other purposes under this Agreement.
This Agreement shall become effective as of the Effective Date and shall remain in full force and effect until terminated by either Party upon thirty (30) days' prior written notice to the other Party. Notwithstanding any termination or expiration of this Agreement, the Receiving Party's obligations of confidentiality with respect to all Confidential Information disclosed during the term of this Agreement shall survive and continue for a period as specified below from the date of disclosure of each item of Confidential Information.
Upon the termination or expiration of this Agreement, or upon the written request of the Disclosing Party at any time, the Receiving Party shall promptly: (a) return to the Disclosing Party all originals and copies of any documents, materials, and other tangible items containing or embodying Confidential Information; or (b) at the Disclosing Party's option, destroy all such documents, materials, and tangible items and provide the Disclosing Party with a written certification signed by an authorized officer of the Receiving Party confirming that all such materials have been destroyed. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Receiving Party may retain one (1) archival copy of the Confidential Information solely for the purpose of monitoring its ongoing obligations under this Agreement, and any Confidential Information retained in routine backup systems shall be subject to the continuing confidentiality obligations of this Agreement.
Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as granting to the Receiving Party any license, right, title, or interest in or to the Confidential Information, or any patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, or other intellectual property right of the Disclosing Party. All Confidential Information shall remain the sole and exclusive property of the Disclosing Party. The Disclosing Party makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the Confidential Information. The Receiving Party acknowledges that it shall use the Confidential Information at its own risk.
The Receiving Party acknowledges and agrees that any breach or threatened breach of this Agreement may cause irreparable harm to the Disclosing Party for which monetary damages alone would be an inadequate remedy. Accordingly, the Disclosing Party shall be entitled to seek equitable relief, including injunction and specific performance, in addition to all other remedies available at law or in equity, without the necessity of proving actual damages or posting any bond or other security. Such equitable relief shall not be deemed to be the exclusive remedy for any breach of this Agreement, but shall be in addition to all other remedies available at law or in equity.
This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of [state_law], without regard to its conflict of laws principles. Each Party irrevocably consents to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the state and federal courts located in the State of [state_law] for the adjudication of any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, and each Party hereby irrevocably waives any objection it may have to such jurisdiction or venue, including any objection based on inconvenient forum.
9.1 Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, understandings, negotiations, and discussions, whether oral or written, between the Parties relating to the subject matter hereof. 9.2 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid, legal, and enforceable, and the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect. 9.3 Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended, modified, or supplemented except by a written instrument signed by both Parties. 9.4 Waiver. No waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective unless made in writing and signed by the waiving Party. The failure of either Party to enforce any provision of this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of that Party's right to enforce that provision or any other provision of this Agreement in the future. 9.5 Assignment. The Receiving Party may not assign or transfer this Agreement, or any rights or obligations hereunder, without the prior written consent of the Disclosing Party. Any attempted assignment in violation of this provision shall be void and of no effect. 9.6 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. 9.7 Notices. All notices, requests, demands, and other communications required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given when delivered personally, sent by confirmed electronic mail, or sent by nationally recognized overnight courier to the addresses of the Parties as set forth in the preamble of this Agreement, or to such other address as either Party may designate in writing.
The Receiving Party shall implement and maintain reasonable security measures to protect any Private Information of New York residents as required by the New York SHIELD Act (N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 899-aa and § 899-bb). In the event of any breach or unauthorized disclosure of such information during the cybersecurity assessment, penetration testing, or vulnerability review, the Receiving Party shall notify the Disclosing Party within 72 hours and cooperate in any required regulatory notifications. This obligation survives termination of the agreement and is in addition to any obligations under HIPAA, GLBA, or FISMA when applicable to the engagement. Failure to comply constitutes a material breach allowing for immediate injunctive relief and recovery of all resulting regulatory fines and third-party claims.
Consultant makes no warranty that all vulnerabilities, including zero-day exploits, will be identified during any penetration testing or vulnerability assessment. Liability for any claim arising from a missed vulnerability, subsequent data breach, or compliance failure shall be limited to the total fees paid for the specific engagement, consistent with industry standards referenced in NIST SP 800-115 and the liability limitations upheld under New York General Obligations Law. The parties acknowledge that absolute security is unattainable and that the client retains responsibility for implementing recommendations and maintaining its own security controls. This clause does not apply to gross negligence or willful misconduct as defined under New York case law.
Any penetration-testing tools, custom scripts, methodologies, or SIEM correlation rules developed solely by the Consultant during the engagement shall remain the exclusive property of the Consultant, notwithstanding any work-for-hire claims. This provision is drafted in accordance with New York common law on intellectual property and trade secrets and is intended to protect the Consultant’s pre-existing know-how and independently developed techniques that are licensed, not sold, to the client. The client is granted only a limited, non-transferable license to use such materials solely for internal security purposes during the term of the engagement. This clause satisfies the writing requirement of N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 5-701.
The Client shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Consultant from any claims, fines, or liabilities arising from the Client’s failure to maintain compliance with applicable regulations including the NY SHIELD Act, HIPAA Security Rule, GLBA Safeguards Rule, or FISMA requirements prior to or independent of the Consultant’s assessment. This indemnity survives the termination of the NDA and is intended to allocate risk appropriately given that the Consultant’s role is advisory. The Consultant’s liability is limited to breaches caused solely by its gross negligence, in line with New York public policy on professional-service contracts and the limitations set forth in the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Code of Ethics.
[regulated data types]
[penetration test scope]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Non-Disclosure Agreement as of the date first written above.
Disclosing Party
Name: Disclosing Party
Date: ___________________
Receiving Party
Name: Receiving Party
Date: ___________________
Cybersecurity Consultants servicing clients in New York are frequently sued when a data breach occurs during a penetration test or vulnerability assessment of a financial institution’s network, leading to claims of missed zero-day exploits and resulting regulatory fines under the NY SHIELD Act. A standard NDA fails to address the unique risks of handling SOC 2 reports, client SIEM logs, and HIPAA-protected health data during engagements that span multiple regulated industries. This non-disclosure agreement for cybersecurity consultant in New York explicitly incorporates the NY SHIELD Act’s data security and breach-notification mandates, New York General Obligations Law § 5-701 writing requirements, and limitations on liability for compliance failures that are common pain points. It clarifies exclusions for independently developed tools such as custom penetration testing scripts, mandates secure destruction of materials per NIST standards referenced in FISMA, and includes robust remedies including injunctive relief available under New York law. Whether you are performing red-team exercises for a NYC healthcare provider or conducting compliance audits for a Wall Street bank, this document limits your exposure to third-party claims arising from the client’s own security gaps while ensuring your CISSP- or CISM-level expertise remains protected. Without it, you risk indefinite confidentiality obligations or disputes over intellectual property developed during the engagement. Draft yours in minutes and stay compliant with New York’s stringent privacy and cybersecurity regulations.
Beyond the standard non-disclosure agreement sections, this template adds fields specific to Cybersecurity Consultant:
The core legal purpose of a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is to establish a legal framework to protect confidential and proprietary information shared between parties. It restricts the unauthorized disclosure or use of such information, thereby enabling parties to collaborate, negotiate, or explore business opportunities while safeguarding sensitive information.
Data breach during assessment
Contracts specify data handling procedures, include indemnity clauses limiting financial responsibility, and require consultants to follow strict nondisclosure agreements (NDAs).
For this non-disclosure agreement to be legally valid:
Common mistakes to avoid:
Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)
FISMA requires federal agencies and their contractors to protect information systems and data. Cybersecurity consultants working with these agencies must comply with its requirements.
Enforced by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)
This act requires institutions to explain their information-sharing practices and to safeguard sensitive data. Cybersecurity consultants often help financial institutions comply with these requirements.
Enforced by Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
HIPAA imposes regulations on the protection of patient data. Cybersecurity consultants working with healthcare entities must ensure compliance with HIPAA's Security Rule.
Enforced by Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
The CCPA grants California residents more control over the personal information that businesses collect about them. Cybersecurity consultants dealing with clients in California must ensure practices align with CCPA requirements.
Enforced by California Attorney General
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
Although a European regulation, many US-based cybersecurity consultants must comply with the GDPR when handling data from EU citizens.
Enforced by European Union bodies, but enforced through international compliance requirements
Recommended coverage: Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance · Cyber Liability Insurance · General Liability Insurance · Professional Indemnity Insurance
This agreement includes a specific limitation-of-liability clause that caps damages at the amount paid for the engagement and disclaims any guarantee of 100% vulnerability detection. It references the common industry practice under FISMA and NIST guidelines that no assessment can identify every zero-day. In New York, this aligns with General Obligations Law interpretations that prevent unlimited liability for professional services, protecting consultants from costly litigation when clients later suffer breaches.
Yes. The document requires the receiving party to implement reasonable safeguards consistent with the NY SHIELD Act’s requirements for protecting private information of New York residents. It mandates breach-notification procedures if a compromise occurs during the cybersecurity assessment and requires return or certified destruction of all materials containing such data at the end of the engagement.
The term is typically set at five years from disclosure or the termination of the services agreement, with trade-secret protections surviving indefinitely as permitted under New York common law and the Uniform Trade Secrets Act as adopted in New York. This prevents perpetual obligations that courts have struck down under General Obligations Law § 5-701 while still safeguarding proprietary penetration-testing methodologies and SIEM configurations.
Yes. A dedicated clause clarifies that any tools, scripts, or techniques developed solely by the cybersecurity consultant remain their property, consistent with New York case law distinguishing between client data and consultant know-how. This avoids disputes common when consultants create custom zero-day detection scripts while working under an NDA.
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