Protecting yourself as a Realtor®

“Not making security a priority or thinking that ‘It can’t happen to me’ is what makes agents vulnerable,” said Robert Siciliano CSP, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and a member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Coast Guard Auxiliary Service. Protecting yourself should always be top of mind.

“If an agent is invested in their own security, then they essentially will lead by example. The guy who said that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link rings true with security both for the personal and professional life,” he added.

To protect yourself as an agent, Siciliano suggests “not putting yourself in potentially dangerous situations, maintaining situational awareness, knowing your options for age and safety, and understanding basic self-defense are key.”

And it’s not just yourself you need to protect, your computer needs to protected as well. Hackers are always a threat, and Siciliano warns about the potential issues caused by not maintaining Internet privacy and security.

How can you make sure your computer is safe? “The fundamentals always apply including antivirus, antispyware, antiphishing and using a firewall,” he suggested. He also recommended investing in a password manager, such as RoboForm. RoboForm is a free app that allows you to safely store all of your passwords in one place.

He also cautioned about using free Wi-Fi without securing your network. “Whenever using free Wi-Fi, make sure you deploy a virtual private network software,” he suggested.

Siciliano will be presenting at this year’s Triple Play on Tuesday, Dec. 8. Join him for Realty Safety & Security: Agent and Client Personal Protection from 9 a.m. until noon and Risk Management: Information/Computer Security and Privacy 2 – 5 p.m.

“In this program, attendees will understand everything they need to protect themselves and their clients, both from physical harm and identity theft,” he said.