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Hackers have recently launched a cyberattack on the primary property listings database in San Francisco, causing significant disruption to the real estate market. The attack targeted the Los Angeles-based software company, Rapattoni, which operates the multiple listing service (MLS) used by realtors in San Francisco. Unfortunately, the platform has not been restored, leaving subscribers without access to the crucial database.

The San Francisco Association of Realtors has stated that there is currently no clear timeline for when services will be fully restored. The ability to add new property listings and make changes to existing ones will not be available until at least twelve days after the attack, which occurred on August 8.

The incident is particularly embarrassing for San Francisco, known as the capital of the tech industry, where employees from tech giants like Google, Meta, and Apple often drive up housing prices. MLSs are private databases used by agents to post property listings, including photos, descriptions, open house times, and contact information. Popular consumer-facing websites like Zillow and Redfin retrieve their information from these databases.

It remains uncertain who the hackers are and whether this is a ransomware attack involving a demand for payment to restore services. Rapattoni has not provided any comments on the incident.

Realtor Payton Stiewe described the situation as a “real shit show,” with himself and his company unable to access their Rapattoni accounts for 11 days. They have resorted to traditional methods such as phone calls, email campaigns, and social media to communicate with other realtors and potential buyers.

The impact of this cyberattack is not limited to San Francisco; Rapattoni serves various markets across the country, with an estimated 56,000 subscribers relying solely on the platform for their work. Additionally, there are approximately 182,000 Rapattoni users who have subscriptions to multiple databases and have not been as severely affected.

Rapattoni, which has a 5% market share in the MLS service provider industry, has been facing diminishing market share over the past five years. Clint Skutchan, a real estate industry executive, attributes this decline to the company’s outdated technology and poor mobile experience. Skutchan believes that failure to keep up with modern technology could potentially expose a company to cybersecurity threats.

Efforts to restore services are ongoing, with Rapattoni actively exploring solutions such as decrypting locked servers and reconstructing new ones from backup files. However, these efforts have not yet resulted in a resolution.

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