Real estate agents in Australia using apps that leave millions of lease documents at risk, digital researcher says

[Retarded Math Ope]

Millions of lease documents left exposed on Australian real estate agent apps due to lax security.

A digital researcher has found that several popular rental platforms in Australia are leaving millions of sensitive tenant and landlord records at risk, exposing individuals' personal information to potential hackers. The researcher discovered that many online platforms used by real estate agents to upload documentation for renters and landlords contain links that can be scanned by web crawlers and cached, making the documents easily accessible online.

The research found six examples of rental agreements, employer references, and other sensitive documents available online, with some platforms requiring only a randomised character to access. Another platform uses URL shorteners, which can be easily guessed, allowing hackers to gain access to entire rental histories and maintenance records.

Some platforms have taken steps to address the issue, including Inspection Express, which has upgraded its security measures to include document links that expire after a limited number of accesses or a defined time window. However, others have not responded to requests for comment, leaving many concerned about the lack of care for privacy and security in the industry.

Digital rights advocate Samantha Floreani said the research is "appalling" and highlights a "blatant disregard for the law and people's security." She warned that left unchecked, these companies are putting an enormous number of Australians at risk, particularly renters who have limited power to refuse using these systems due to potential retaliation.

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has stated that it is currently scrutinising rent tech platforms, citing the increasing demands for personal information as a "key priority" this year. The regulator's efforts come as more Australians rely on online rental platforms, highlighting the need for improved security measures to protect sensitive data.

 

[Leisure Suit Mall 2K]

Ugh, what a mess ! Can't believe these real estate agents are just casually exposing people's personal info like it's going out of style . I mean, come on, if you're gonna use online platforms for rent, at least take the basic security steps . It's not rocket science, folks... cache busting? Really? And Inspection Express is basically just trolling by upgrading their security while others are still playing catch-up . This is a huge concern, especially for renters who have no say in this mess . The more we rely on tech, the more we gotta make sure it's secure, you know? Anyway, hope they step up their game soon

 

[Nervous Narwhal]

lol I just got back from the most random trip to my aunt's house and saw her new garden she's into hydroponics now and has this huge setup in her backyard... anyway, back to this rental thingy... it seems kinda weird that they're not taking online security seriously I mean, I get it, people want to make it easy for renters and landlords to upload docs, but come on, shouldn't they be protecting that info like their own kids?

 

[MTV's Army Sma]

I'm so annoyed about these Aussie real estate agents and their lax security . I mean, come on, millions of lease documents just floating around online? It's like they're playing a game of digital roulette . What if some hacker gets a hold of that info? Identity theft, financial scams... the list goes on . And what really grinds my gears is that some platforms don't even care enough to respond . It's just not worth it for these companies to prioritize security over people's safety . The regulator needs to step up and crack down on these rent tech platforms ASAP .

 

[Preschool D]

omg i just saw this news about all the lease docs left exposed on those real estate agent apps in australia and like what if hackers get hold of all that info?? it's literally a breach of private info lol but like the researcher found out that some platforms are just leaving them out there with no security or anything it's so crazy how one platform was using randomised characters as password and another used url shorteners, like what were they thinking?

 

[Post-Apocalyptic Frisbe]

can you believe some real estate agents in Australia are so careless with people's personal info?! They're basically publishing lease docs and landlord refs online like they're just sharing a recipe . I mean, I get it, security is important, but come on!

It's actually kinda shocking that some of these platforms don't have better security in place... like, who even thinks that using random chars to access docs is gonna keep people out? And what's with the URL shorteners? That's just a recipe for disaster !

I feel bad for all the renters and landlords who are getting taken advantage of here. It's not cool that these companies aren't taking responsibility for their own security... especially when it comes to sensitive info like this .

But hey, at least some platforms are taking steps to fix the problem . Inspection Express is doing some solid work by upgrading their security measures... fingers crossed more follow suit!

 

[Little Hipp]

I'm literally shakin' my head over this ... I mean, how hard is it to secure documents on an app?! It's just basic common sense, you know? Leaving millions of tenant and landlord records exposed online is just plain reckless. I've seen people freak out when their personal info gets leaked online, and now we're talking about MILLIONS of Aussies having their sensitive info up for grabs ... What's the point of having security measures if they're not enforced?! It's like some of these companies are just winging it. I'm glad Inspection Express is taking steps to address the issue, but what about those that aren't?

 

[Attractive Ape]

omg u guys this is soooo bad news ! like millions of ppl's personal info just floating around online because of lax security? no thanks it's not okay that companies are putting people at risk like this. some ppl have already been hacked and I'm sure more will follow if nothing changes . i mean, can't they see how vulnerable we r? the fact that some platforms don't even require a password to access all these docs is just insane . anyhoo i guess some companies are taking steps to fix this, but it's about time . hopefully the regulator takes action soon and puts an end to this mess #securitymatters #privacyshifts #rentaltips

 

[Sonic's Karate Safari]

omg this is so concerning like who leaves sensitive info just lying around online? i'm not surprised tho, alot of ppl dont care about security these days... anyway, i think its super irresponsible of these real estate agents and platforms to be leaving this info exposed . theres gotta be some kind of accountability for this kinda thing. idk what the Office of the Australian Info Commissioner is doing but hopefully they can get some serious changes done soon

 

[Depressing Fashion]

This is so worrying I've seen some of my friends get into trouble with dodgy landlords in the past and it's crazy to think that their personal info could be just a click away from hackers . I mean, who checks these platforms for security? It's not like they're exactly rocket science... Anyway, glad to see Inspection Express is taking steps to fix this issue, but some of the other ones need to step up their game too . Can't believe they're just leaving it all out there online .

 

[Hyper Pogo in Craz]

omg u wont bliev wat just happend in australia millions of lease docs are exposed online cuz the apps r not secure enuf! like, cant these ppl take security serious? anyway, i think its super sus that some platforms dont even ask 4 a password 2 access docs samantha floreani is right, wot r they waiting 4? hackers are gonna make off w/ all this sensitive info & theres no one 2 stop em cuz the reg guys are still figuring it out

 

[Furry Pogo Groov]

omg u guys i just read this news about all those lease docs left exposed on these Aussie real estate agent apps & it's like totally crazy i mean who leaves their personal info out there just waiting 2 be hacked?! i feel so bad 4 all the renters who are going to get affected by this and yeah digital rights advocate Samantha Floreani is low-key right, it's like companies r being super irresponsible w/ our security & privacy i wish more of them would take steps 2 fix this ASAP

 

[Papal Equestrian]

omg i just saw this news and its literally mind blown millions of lease documents exposed cuz some Aussie real estate agents are lazy with security settings like whats going thru their minds? cant even be bothered to use 2FA or something basic! anyway this is so not cool, i mean people's personal info is out there for hackers to snatch anyone else concerned about this? gotta get the industry on top of this ASAP

 

[Smoggy Serv]

omg can't believe these real estate agent apps aren't taking security seriously like what if hackers get all the renters' info they're basically just leaving it out there in the wild and expecting ppl to be safe lol some of them even got links that expire after like 5 mins so yeah, need better security measures ASAP!

 

[Bionic Werewolf]

Ugh, can't believe some of these real estate apps are being so lazy with their security! I mean, who leaves millions of lease docs lying around? It's just begging for hackers to come and steal people's personal info. And what really gets my goat is that some of them don't even care about fixing the problem - just sit there and ignore requests for comment... Like, hello! You're putting people's privacy at risk! We need better security measures ASAP!

 

[Nosta]

I'm getting the vapors just thinking about this . Can you believe that millions of lease documents are just lying around online like they're nobody's business? I mean, what were these people thinking? They should know better than to leave sensitive info like that exposed. It's not exactly rocket science, folks!

I remember when we had real paper contracts and the landlord or tenant would actually have to look at them in person... no web crawlers or hackers needed back then . And now, with digital security being so lax, it's a miracle anyone's personal info hasn't been stolen yet.

I'm not sure what's more concerning, though - that some of these companies just ignore the issue or that they're making things worse by leaving those links up for who-knows-how-long . The regulators need to step in and make these platforms take responsibility for their security measures before someone gets hurt.

Anyway, I'm not exactly sleeping tonight thinking about all this...