Peak body aims to equip real estate professionals to navigate cyber risk
The Real Estate Institute of Queensland, in collaboration with AON and CyberCert, has announced the launch of a Cyber Resilience Toolkit for real estate professionals. This toolkit aims to equip professionals in the real estate industry with the necessary knowledge and guidance to navigate the growing risk of cyber crime.
According to REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella, cyber criminals have become increasingly sophisticated in their methods of stealing money and personal information. In the 2020-2021 period alone, Australians reported a staggering $33 billion lost to cyber crime, according to the Australian Cyber Security Centre.
“Sadly, real estate professionals and agencies are a primary target for cyber attacks – partly because of the large sums of money they hold and transact as well as the large volumes of personal information they collect and store,” Mercorella said. “Insufficient security settings or requirements, and in many cases poor employee education can also create vulnerabilities – a simple mistake from an employee could open the floodgates.”
The Cyber Resilience Toolkit is designed to address these issues and help real estate professionals identify common cyber risks and threats to their businesses, REIQ said. It provides nationally recognized best practice security measures, enabling professionals to prepare their businesses and employees. Additionally, the toolkit offers strategies to mitigate and recover from cybersecurity incidents.
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As Queensland’s peak body for the real estate profession, REIQ has proactively empowered real estate professionals and businesses with cyber-related training.
“Cyber attacks continue to be a significant and serious threat and we’ve been taking a leading and proactive role to support and empower Queensland real estate practitioners to protect their businesses and their customers,” Mercorella said. “This Cyber Resilience Toolkit is yet another way we can support real estate professionals.”
In conjunction with the release of the toolkit, REIQ has partnered with CyberCert to assist small and medium-sized businesses in achieving cyber certification. This certification serves as evidence to business partners, clients, and customers that these companies are taking all necessary steps to safeguard their information. Furthermore, real estate agents or members who utilise AON as their insurer will receive complimentary access to CFC's cyber response app when purchasing cyber insurance through AON.
Real estate professionals can access the Cyber Resilience Toolkit through REIQ’s website.
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