Protecting Real Estate Data Against Phishing
#hackinman
This is part of a special series — a wiki for Hacker Connect, the inaugural conference hosted by Inman News focused on real estate technology.
What is phishing?
“Phishing email messages, websites, and phone calls are designed to steal money. Cybercriminals can do this by installing malicious software on your computer or stealing personal information off of your computer. Cybercriminals also use social engineering to convince you to install malicious software or hand over your personal information under false pretenses. They might email you, call you on the phone, or convince you to download something off of a website.”
Current events
“Hackers employed a targeted phishing campaign, in which Podesta was tricked into resetting his email password, to break into Podesta’s account. The New York Times revealed this week that a Podesta staffer who had access to his email account accurately suspected the phishing email was the work of hackers, but a typo by another staffer declaring the password-reset message ‘legitimate’ instead of ‘illegitimate’ opened the gateway to Podesta’s emails.”
The real estate angle
A wave of reports were released this year detailing elaborate phishing scams where hackers gain access to real estate professionals email accounts and transaction management platforms, emailing the buyers in the transaction with last minute changes in closing instructions (posing as the real estate professional) and then directing those funds to their own often untraceable accounts. Clareity produced a 21 page study on the topic in September.
What to watch for in the future
The National Association of Realtors and the Federal Trade Commission issued warnings to consumers about the scams and have continued to provide guidance on the matter. But recent phishing attacks expose a bigger threat to real estate transaction and consumer data that are at risk because of the lack of basic and enforceable security measures across the industry.
About the speaker
“Thomas Kinsella is the Cyber Intelligence and Investigations Manager at DocuSign. Previously leading the eCrime team fighting high impact threats against eBay and PayPal including cases of network intrusion, phishing, malware, account take-over and fraud together with Law Enforcement and external partners. Regularly worked with Law Enforcement agencies worldwide including USSS, FBI, Europol, MET Police etc. for investigation, attribution and prosecution of large organized criminal networks. Sat on board of Operation Sterling, a a private and public sector forum set up by UK Law Enforcement. Sat on board of UK Vehicle Safe Trading Advisory Group. Developed new partnerships with UK Law Enforcement, Europol and large European banks.”
Post-conference takeaways, tweets, and interviews
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I’m Greg Fischer, principal broker in charge of growth operations at Fred Real Estate Group in Bend, Oregon. Find out more about what I’m working on at bendgrowth.com
I also consult with early stage real estate startups. Find me on LinkedIn and AngelList
