For South Africa’s real estate professionals, danger no longer lurks only at showhouses, on the road, or in face-to-face meetings with clients. It can come the moment you switch on your computer or mobile phone, even in the comfort of your own home or office. Cybercrime, the criminal use of technology to steal data, commit fraud, or disrupt systems, is rapidly on the rise in South Africa. According to the INTERPOL Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2025, the country has become a prime target for cybercriminals. And with real estate so reliant on personal and financial data, it’s clear the industry is firmly in their sights.
Big jump in cybercrime in South Africa
South Africa has become a hotspot for cybercriminals, with attacks increasing sharply in both scale and sophistication. Reports paint a worrying picture, making cybersecurity one topic every business should have on its agenda:
- Cyber incidents are the top risk in South Africa, overtaking load-shedding and political instability. Allianz Risk Barometer 2025
- 47% of organisations reported experiencing 1-5 cybersecurity incidents in the past year. CSIR National Survey Results
- South Africa ranks second on the continent for data breaches. Surfshark report
- Phishing accounts for more than half of South Africa’s cyber threats, double the global average. ESET Threat Report (H1, 2025)
- South Africa received 17,849 ransomware attacks in 2024. INTERPOL Africa Cyberthreat Assessment Report 2025
- The country’s surge in cybercrime has created a R2.2 billion loss to the economy. INTERPOL
These figures show just how high the stakes have become for South African businesses. And for real estate professionals, the consequences can be particularly damaging.
Being a trusted local expert and knowing your farming area thoroughly can also help. Knowing about the neighbourhood’s appeal, service delivery, safety, and future developments can help to prove your pricing is grounded in reality.
Cybercriminals are circling the property sector
South Africa’s real estate industry has become increasingly digital in recent years. Property listings, marketing campaigns, client management systems, and even transactions now rely heavily on technology. While that’s great for speed and convenience, it has also opened the door to cyber threats, says Anton Jansen van Vuuren, Chief Operations Officer of Harcourts South Africa.
“Property practitioners handle sensitive client information such as banking details, FICA documents, and offers to purchase, while also facilitating high-value rental and sales transactions involving deposits and property payments,” he highlights. “This can make them incredibly attractive for cybercriminals in an industry where the combined residential and commercial property market size exceeds R8.8 trillion in value.
“Criminals also target this sector because they can also exploit weak security on personal devices, intercept communication, and impersonate parties in a deal to redirect funds,” he says. “Agencies and brokerages may neglect updating their systems and investing in modern security systems, creating a serious cybersecurity vulnerability that attackers are quick to exploit.
“The combination of valuable data, substantial financial resources, urgency and limited cybersecurity awareness in the real estate industry underscores the urgent need for stronger digital security practices,” adds Jansen van Vuuren.
What are cyber threats in the real estate industry often aimed at?
Cybercriminals typically go after money, data, and sensitive information, which is often easily available in the real estate industry. Hackers try to intercept payments, redirecting deposits or escrow funds into their own accounts. They’re also after personal and financial details from buyers, sellers, renters, landlords, and practitioners, everything from ID documents to bank information, which can be used for identity theft or other scams.
It’s not just about individual losses, either. Cybercriminals know that locking down your systems or platforms with ransomware can stop deals in their tracks, disrupt your operations, and damage client trust. With large, one-off transfers being so common in South African property transactions, the industry is a prime target.
Local cyber incident exposes industry-wide risks
Many agencies and brokerages still underestimate how attractive they are to cybercriminals. While banks or large corporations might seem like the bigger prize, real estate businesses handle sensitive client data every day, making them a lucrative target. This false sense of security leaves the sector vulnerable, and recent incidents serve as a reminder that no business can afford to be complacent.
Earlier this year, a major property company disclosed that it had suffered a cyber incident involving unauthorised access to its customer relationship management (CRM) system hosted on local servers. The breach exposed some personal information belonging to clients, though the company confirmed that no banking details, financial information, or commercial records were compromised. According to the statement, a third party gained access through a user account — a sobering example of how easily cybercriminals can slip past defences.
“The recent CRM data breach highlights that even large, established brands remain vulnerable,” says Jansen van Vuuren. “Although this incident was well-handled, it highlights serious lessons for the industry. This is underscored by Prop Data’s cybersecurity poll, which shows that less than 20% of property practitioners feel they are ‘fully prepared’ and have ‘the right tools and habits in place’ to deal with cybercrime.
“Because most property practitioners use their own personal devices to access their CRM platforms, the risk is always high, and many companies may not even realise when a practitioner’s email, password, or access to online systems has been compromised. Too often, these incidents go unreported.
“The onboarding of new practitioners into any real estate business should include checking all their devices, securing their access to company systems, and enforcing multi-factor authentication as a standard. Training must also go beyond real estate matters to include cybersecurity awareness so that every practitioner understands the risks and challenges they will face from the outset,” he says.