Defending Against The Rise Of Cyberattacks In Real Estate

Firm Partner and Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice Lead Harris S. Freier, Esq. recently penned an article for Real Estate NJ entitled, "Defending Against The Rise Of Cyberattacks In Real Estate."

The article begins, "On Sept. 7, 2022, the government of Suffolk County, New York, became the victim of a ransomware attack. The attack allowed hackers to access personal data of Suffolk County citizens and resulted in the shutdown of many critical Suffolk County resources. Weeks later, the County is still working to rebuild servers and infrastructure so that these resources can be brought back online. This blackout has impacted everything from Suffolk County schools to real estate."

Bottom Line

The real estate industry is an increasingly attractive target for cyberattacks because of the sensitive records that are involved in real estate transactions. These records often contain highly sensitive data, including financial and personally identifying information, that must be secured against unauthorized access. All companies involved in real estate should invest in cyber insurance and seek legal counsel as necessary if and when breaches occur.

Click here to access the full article in Real Estate NJ "the commercial real estate voice of New Jersey"

Mr. Freier is a Certified Information Privacy Technologist (CIPT) as well as a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) specializing in U.S. privacy law. The CIPT and CIPP certifications of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (“IAPP”) certifications are “widely hailed as the gold standard in privacy certification because it is also the only certifications in the industry accredited under ANSI/ISO specifications and recognized under standards set by the International Accreditation Forum.” He is also a member of the IAPP.