Over the past year we have heard about major security breaches at Target, Home Depot, JPMorgan Chase. A growing list of cyberattacks is moving beyond credit card data to valuable personal information and corporate intelligence, a gold mine for the culprits.

Security breaches risk reputational damage. Media inquiries may lead to allegations about the breach. Worried or angry customers, upset because their data has been disclosed without their consent, may publicize the matter in social media or inform journalists or regulators. The result is a corporate mess.

I reckon that most real estate companies feel that their information is not useful to others. Think again. Every business, no matter its size, possesses critical information that can do harm if it gets into the hands of unscrupulous individuals. Employee records, confidential client information, private financial data, the list goes on. It's probably a good time to pause and review your data security policies and procedures.