POINT OF VIEW: McDonald Report

Securing the ‘pipes’

It has become a cliché, but like all good clichés, it’s absolutely true: When technology works, it’s great. When it doesn’t, it can be a disaster for your business. If you’ve ever had your computer hijacked by a virus and been forced offline for any length of time, you know what I mean.

We all want consumers to be able to visit our Web site at any time. We all want systems that safeguard our data and give us unlimited access to it. Unfortunately, the threat of computer viruses, worms, and Trojan horses isn’t going away. In fact, there are mischief-makers out there creating new hazards every day. And then there are the threats we create ourselves by not having systems configured properly or having the processes in place to back up our data.

A Web site that doesn’t falter, 24/7 access to e-mail and the Internet, and a secure database are standards we all need to strive for. That’s why the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® is moving in the direction of developing technology standards for our industry. Perhaps you’ve read or heard about the association’s new REALTOR® Secure program. The program certifies brokerages and MLSs that have policies and procedures in place to protect their real estate information and systems and prevent business interruptions.

Developed by the association’s Center for REALTOR® Technology, the REALTOR® Secure program is based on security industry best practices and models proven to work in other industries, such as the credit industry. Consumers trust the system that allows them to conduct financial transactions using a credit card; it’s important to all of us that they have a similar level of trust in our systems. Americans today have serious concerns about how technology can facilitate identity theft. They want to know that their personal information is safe from hacking. REALTOR® Secure, besides keeping your business operating, is designed to block the use of your business assets by unauthorized users.

Gaining REALTOR® Secure certification is a three-step process. First, you do an internal assessment of your system. Then you bring in a qualified third-party evaluator and, if necessary, plug potential security leaks in your information “pipes.” Finally, the CRT reviews your system and grants certification, good for one year. Certified brokers and MLSs have the right to post the REALTOR® Secure logo at their Web site. Certification gives you a measure of confidence in your system, demonstrates to customers your high level of attention to data standards, and confirms your role as a trusted adviser.

CRT’s vice president, Mark Lesswing, has called the program “one step in securing the digital future of REALTORS®,” and indeed more standards are on the way. CRT is working on refinements to the real estate transaction standards, or RETS. To understand the value of standards, think of how easy it is to send family photos or property images via e-mail.

To me, all this standard setting amounts to one thing: a more professional industry. That should help you, and your customers, feel secure.

—NAR President Walt McDonald, CRS®, GRI