{"id":1004496400,"date":"2020-12-07T08:39:36","date_gmt":"2020-12-07T16:39:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.commercialsearch.com\/news\/?p=1004496400"},"modified":"2022-01-31T06:46:54","modified_gmt":"2022-01-31T14:46:54","slug":"the-pandemic-and-cyber-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.commercialsearch.com\/news\/the-pandemic-and-cyber-security\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pandemic and Cybersecurity"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Don Goldstein<\/p><\/div>\n

The COVID-19 pandemic has upheaved nearly every business around the globe\u2014especially commercial real estate. As lockdowns were enforced and businesses began to shutter brick and mortar locations, leaving employees working remote, property owners were faced with a difficult reality. As society slowly returns to an altered state of \u201cnormal,\u201d property owners are rethinking their business practices\u2014how to host virtual showings and redefine lease structures. But, most importantly, they should be thinking about cyber security.<\/p>\n

Having a remote or hybrid workforce is no longer a \u201ctrend\u201d that will die out when the pandemic is under control. This will continue into 2021 and beyond, as employees value the flexibility and safety it affords. As property owners and managers adjust staffing and scheduling to fit this new model, more questions about cyber security arise – how secure are employees\u2019 home connections? Do they have the bandwidth to manage their workloads? What about VPN licenses\u2014are owners selecting the right ones for optimal security?<\/p>\n

More sophisticated attacks, more attack space<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The \u201ccrown jewels\u201d of a company\u2019s data\u2014like PPI, health records, financial information and more \u2013 are now lingering on laptops and personal computers connected to employees\u2019 home networks. Those in hybrid environments\u2014splitting time between the building and home offices\u2014also are at risk, with vulnerabilities more exposed due to long building vacancies. With the potential for threats on both the home front and within building networks, owners and managers need to find better security solutions without affecting productivity.<\/p>\n

While CRE businesses have always faced certain cyber security challenges, this environment has made them more pronounced than before. The targets are much \u201csofter,\u201d increasing the risk of ransomware and other cyberattacks, which have become highly sophisticated over the years. Owners and managers need to be more prepared than ever to fend off these attacks and understand that security is the key to protecting their business.<\/p>\n

The Basics of Cyber Hygiene <\/strong><\/h2>\n

So, what can property owners and managers do to enhance their cyber security? At a high level, there are several basic cyber hygiene regimens businesses should implement and maintain on a regular basis for enhanced security\u2014both at the home \u201coffice\u201d and for those back working in their buildings.<\/p>\n

When working remote, there are several steps owners\/managers need to communicate with their employees to keep their operations protected:<\/p>\n