Estate agents becoming price targets for hackers, industry warned
Summary
The article reports that estate agents and surveyors are increasingly being targeted by hackers, with cyber attacks on British property services businesses rising 17% year on year to 208 incidents. It highlights the volume of sensitive personal and transactional data held by property firms, including identity documents, bank details and tenancy records, which can be exploited for ransom, identity theft and payment diversion fraud.
Why it matters
Residential property surveyors routinely handle sensitive client and transaction data, making cyber security a practical business and compliance concern. The article underscores the need to protect information used in AML/KYC checks and live transactions, where a breach could have financial and reputational consequences.
Key points
- Cyber attacks on British property services businesses rose 17% in the past year.
- Surveyors and agents hold sensitive data such as passports, driving licences, bank details and mortgage information.
- Criminals may use stolen data for ransom, identity theft or sale on the dark web.
- Live transaction data can be used for payment diversion fraud.
- The article suggests many property businesses lack bank-level cyber security controls.
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