HALF of Australians buying property are unconcerned about cyber security, despite real estate transactions being a growing target for online criminals, new data has revealed.
A survey by property technology firm InfoTrack, released to mark Cyber Security Awareness Month, found 50 per cent of Australians who bought or sold property in the past year had little to no concern about the security of their personal information during the process.
InfoTrack chief operations officer Lee Bailie said Australian Government statistics show a cyber-attack occurs every six minutes, with property transactions frequently targeted because of the large sums of money and personal data exchanged, often via email.
“Cyber security appears to be the property sector’s blind spot, with many Australians underestimating the threat of insecure transactions and correspondence,” Mr Bailie said.
“Only 35 per cent of our respondents were significantly or highly concerned about the security of their personal data, showing a growing gap in cyber awareness and consumer preparedness.”
The report found that while the average Australian property deposit is about $160,000, almost a quarter of buyers (26 per cent) admitted they were not concerned about transferring large sums of money online.
Mr Bailie said real estate agents, lawyers and conveyancers had a key role to play in reducing cyber risks.
“The focus must be on real estate agents and conveyancers moving away from emails to better protect the information that’s exchanged,” he said.
“Proactively educating clients, advocating for secure digital platforms, and reinforcing safe digital practices must become standard.”
He encouraged buyers and sellers to ask how their personal details will be protected during a transaction and to demand safer systems if email is still being used to share financial or identification information.
“As cyber threats grow more sophisticated, professional vigilance is essential to protect buyers who may not yet recognise the danger,” Mr Bailie said.
InfoTrack’s full 2025 State of Real Estate report is available at infotrack.com.au.
