Residential real estate brokers and agents were among our first customers back in 2013. It was the year before when we began seeing a massive wave of cyber crime on the horizon that was aimed not only at large institutions and organizations, but increasingly toward us; you, me, our families, professional practices, and small businesses. Sophisticated criminal cartels are leading this mega-cycle of crime, and they use the internet to aim their attacks at individuals, the people around them, and the personal technology they use every day.  In 2013, we launched with our corporate mission to: "Find the best IT security technology available anywhere, and make it accessible, easy to use, and affordable to the rest of us." High-end Realtors® were among the early adopters of this technology. 

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TDS is located in an area that includes some of the most expensive residences in the world. Buyers and sellers expect the utmost confidentiality, privacy, and discretion during the entire process of a sale or purchase.  So, some agents and brokers were early to "get it", and have been loyal customers ever since. As the risk has increased, and the attack targets continue to migrate further toward individuals and their personal technology, more real estate professionals are understanding the risk to themselves, their clients, and their firms, and are seeking advice and solutions to the growing threat. 

 

A lot is at stake in a real estate transaction.  The information that is traded in the process of marketing, showing and closing includes some of the most valuable data a hacker could desire. If the sensitive information typical to a real estate sale is not protected on all fronts, the client, agent, and broker will hold increasing levels of tail risk ahead. Fortunately, the cyber security technology available to real estate professionals today reduces the risk substantially. Using this technology protects personally, and professionally, and you can operate online anywhere in the world knowing you are safe, your technology is protected, and your information is secure.

 

green_checkmark_rx.jpegOne of the first steps toward cyber security for any professional in any business that includes people, trust, and relationships, should be the establishment of a private email domain.

 

"Free" email services like Gmail, AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo, et al, won't cut it anymore for the professional practitioner. And, for the Realtor®, when your client asks you how you will protect their information and privacy during the transaction, it's an excellent place to begin the answer because you have the domain name to prove it. By establishing a private email service, you are taking the single most important step forward to seal-in your digital periphery; where cyber risk is heading fast and furious today.

 

A recent bulletin from the Financial National Title Group (FNTG), to their offices and agents of Fidelity National Title Insurance Company, is titled "Cyberattacks on Free Email Services" and says:

Using a free email service (e.g. @gmail.com, @yahoo.com, @aol.com, etc.) puts you, your underwriters and your clients at greater risk for a cyber-attack.

The FNTG in a bulletin to their underwriters, Apr.21, 2016

The FNTG lists three reasons to establish a private domain:FNTG_private_email_doc.png

  1. Increased Frequency of Cyber Attacks. 

  2. Protection of NPPI - Non-public Personal Information increasingly focused on by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and state and local agencies.

  3. Professionalism - Using or not using a private email domain sends a message and impacts professional appearance.

 

Cyber risk should be approached broadly and on all fronts.  We call these fronts - "The Four Fundamentals of Cyber Security" and each should be vigorously protected. For the case of this article, and as an example of our approach to secure each front, we will focus specifically on how we provide the tools necessary for our clients to establish their own,  private email domain in an exceptionally secure fashion.

 

In the fulfillment of our mission to "Find the best IT security technology available anywhere, and make it accessible, easy to use, and affordable to the rest of us." , for email, we provide access to an enterprise-class solution that is considered best-in-class by some of the most demanding, mission-critical operations in the world.

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Successful Living in the Digital Age

Corporations and others pay thousands of dollars a month for an email service of this caliber. We uniquely make it available to individuals, small professional practices and businesses, and even families that have decided to pro-actively position themselves for the long-term and a future that is engaged with technology, leverages the power of the Internet, and is safe and successful; personally, and professionally .

For more about cybersecurity for Realtors: cybersecurity services click here.

Watch the video to see how to create your own private email domain or,  just go here for more: http://www.totaldigitalsecurity.com/products/private-email

 

 

Private Email Domains from Total Digital Security

 

In most cases, costs are less than $5/mo. per email box. Domain name registration and setup fees may apply.

Contact us directly for a free consultation and cost estimate.

 

Learn More  Contact us for more information. 


 

More resources:

 

AFP_14_Logo_Red.png"The Four Fundamentals of Cyber Security" - as contributed to the AFP- Association for Financial Professionals:  http://www.afponline.org/pub/res/news/The_Four_Fundamentals_of_Cybersecurity.html

 

SDARLogo_186_293_GREATER_Outlines.jpgSDAR - The Greater San Diego Association of Realtors - TDS is the exclusive provider of cyber security services and solutions for the SDAR. Click here for more:  http://www.totaldigitalsecurity.com/blog/cyber-security-services-greater-san-diego-association-of-realtors 

 


REALTOR® Magazine - 
"9 Ways to Keep Data Secure  http://realtormag.realtor.org/for-brokers/network/article/2015/08/9-ways-keep-data-secure

 

TDS_Circle_transparent_v1.png"Cyber Security for Real Estate Firms and Associates" http://www.totaldigitalsecurity.com/blog/cyber-security-for-residential-real-estate-firms

 

 

 

 

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