Cyber criminals attack organizations in every industry – and the real estate sector is no exception. Real estate organizations must plan for current and emerging cyber threats so that they are well-equipped to guard against cyber-attacks.

Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to address cybersecurity risks in the real estate industry. However, real estate organizations that prepare accordingly can maintain a proactive approach to cyber threats and reduce the risk of costly, time-consuming data breaches.

At first glance, the real estate industry may seem an unexpected target for cyber-attacks. However, real estate organizations have valuable information that cyber criminals want, such as files that contain bank account information and other personal information of property buyers and sellers. If criminal hackers access this information, they can use it for identity theft and other malicious activities.

In addition, criminal hackers can breach property management companies’ online portals, giving them access to credit and debit card numbers and addresses they can use to commit fraud.