Hackers are out there and they're coming for your grandparents. Well, not really. But with all the leaked photos, breached data, and credit cart theft on a massive scale—you need to learn how to protect both yourself and your clients. The digital age has brought powerful tools to tech savvy agents to sell homes and manage transactions but you need to protect yourself online. Here are some easy ways to keep your real estate business secure.

Lock the door:

Password protect every single device you use to handle or store client information. Be it a simple pin or swipe code, this extra level of security will keep most people off your device if it's found or stolen.

A laptop was stolen in 2007 from a Home Depot employee that contained the personal information of over 10,000 employees. Thankfully, the data was not the target of the theft (the laptop was) and the system was password protected. Don't take these risks, make sure to password your phones and devices to give your clients an extra layer of security.

NOT public domain:

Putting passwords on your office Wi-Fi connection goes without saying, but public Wi-Fi can still pose a problem. While getting work done at Starbucks or other public places is normal, hackers can use these public places to steal information. Because public Wi-Fi connections are usually not encrypted, you are at risk for a data breach.

The easiest solution is not to use work devices on public, unsecured Wi-Fi. If working at coffee shops is a must, you can download software to protect your information when using unsecured Wi-Fi. Ask your ISP what kind of services they can offer to better protect you in public.

When in doubt...

Don't click or open links and emails that seem fishy. Chances are you don't have a great uncle you never met who died and left you his vast, unclaimed fortune. They use techniques like this to get into your systems and steal whatever they can get their hands on, like client information.

Put stuff away:

This one is simple and low tech, but don't leave contracts and valuable client information lying around the office. The information does not have to be in a digital format to be leaked, especially if you work in an office with a lot of traffic or sharing an office space with multiple businesses. Remember, data leaks are more likely to happen when a business is in a transitional period, such as a merger or layoffs.

Protect your clients, they trusted you enough to make the biggest purchasing decisions of their lives, so don't let them down.

To view the original article, visit the Realty Commander blog.

Further Reading

• Data Security for Real Estate
• Can You Trust That eSignature? How to Spot a Tampered Document
• Resources for Staying Safe During REALTOR® Safety Month and Beyond