46 — July 2026 — M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal
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M id A tlantic R eal E state J ournal
Industrial demand, rising transaction activity and investment sales fuel member optimism CORFAC members report positive transaction activity at mid-year
Access, and identity protection, that can significantly raise a small business’s security base - line. Most companies already pay for them but have never turned them on. Most small businesses al- ready use Microsoft 365, but many are not getting full value from the security features built into their subscription. Defend - er for Business, Conditional Access policies, identity protec- tion, and advanced threat ana- lytics are all ready to activate with the right configuration. At eMazzanti, we regularly audit client Microsoft 365 en- vironments and find significant gaps that could have been closed with existing tools. A proper Microsoft 365 secu- rity hardening session is one of the fastest ways to raise your baseline without adding new software spend. How Much Does AI Cy- bersecurity Protection Actually Cost? For most small businesses, comprehensive managed secu- rity costs a fraction of what a single breach would. The aver- age breach now exceeds $120,000 in downtime, remediation, and legal exposure. A full managed security package typically runs well below that annually. This is the question we hear most often, and the honest an- swer is: a lot less than a breach. The average cost of a data breach for a small business now exceeds $120,000 when you factor in downtime, reme- diation, legal exposure, and reputational damage. A com- so far this year include client expansions, business reloca- tions into the market, and referrals from local service providers. Collaboration and in-network referrals between CORFAC firms also continue to drive business. When it comes to operational efficiencies, AI and technology are playing a growing role. AI and data availability were among the top positive influ - ences on brokerage operations, along with attracting top talent and connections made through CORFAC. Although AI is hav - ing a positive impact on opera- tions, some respondents also cited it as a disruptor. The question of how to incorporate AI effectively into daily work- flow remains a key concern. Despite improving sentiment
prehensive managed security package, including endpoint protection, email security, SOC monitoring, and vulner - ability management, typically runs a fraction of that on an annual basis. We offer flexible managed security packages designed specifically for small and mid- sized businesses that need enterprise-level protection without a dedicated internal security team. Is Your Business Ready? Take These Next Steps Today • You do not have to overhaul everything overnight. Start here: • Enable MFA on all email and business applications this week • Ask your IT provider when your last vulnerability assess- ment was run • Confirm your email au - thentication records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are properly configured • Schedule a cybersecurity review with a trusted partner to identify your top gaps • Make sure you have a docu - mented incident response plan and that your team knows it Our team conducts compli- mentary cybersecurity reviews for small businesses across the NY/NJ area and can help you build a realistic, prioritized road- map based on your actual risk. Nirvan L. Ramoutar is a business technology guru, Microsoft 365 adoption spe- cialist, Azure Marketplace expert and digital transfor- mation leader at eMazzanti Technologies. MAREJ about the commercial real estate market overall, respondents reported inflation and interest rates as the most significant negative influences on trans - action activity. Other factors, such as high costs for labor and construction materials, lack of available space, and difficulty obtaining financing, are plagu - ing some markets. For CORFAC members worldwide, continued success this year will hinge on navi- gating the rapidly changing market, capitalizing on strong sectors while adapting to evolv- ing client needs, economic reali- ties, and technological change. Leveraging the network’s collec - tive expertise is an asset COR - FAC members bring to each transaction in these uncertain market conditions. MAREJ
The cost to target a small business has dropped to nearly zero. You are no longer safe just because you are small. What Does an AI Phishing Attack Actually Look Like? An AI phishing attack in 2026 looks nothing like the obvious scams of the past. It arrives with correct grammar, your CEO’s writing style, a real invoice number, and perfect timing. Most employees would not catch it without layered technical defenses in place. Imagine receiving an email that: • Uses your first name and references a real invoice number from a vendor you work with • Matches the exact writing style and tone of your CEO • Comes from a spoofed ad - dress that is one character off from the real domain • Arrives at a time your CEO is known to be traveling, so you are less likely to verify it This level of personalization used to take days of research. AI generates dozens of these emails in minutes, pulling from LinkedIn, public records, and data breach dumps. Tradi- tional awareness training alone cannot keep up. Our managed cybersecurity services are built around the layered defenses your staff actually needs. How Can Small Businesses Defend Against AI-Driven Threats? Small businesses can de- fend against AI-driven threats through layered security: multi-factor authentication, land assembly for a grocery- anchored retail development,” reflecting how necessity-based retail continues to fuel activity. Transaction Activity Is Increasing Compared to last fall, trans - action activity is growing across the network. More than 50% of respondents reported increased transaction activity, and just over a quarter of members said activity has remained stable since last fall. While others noted performance remains “highly dependent on the sec- tor,” just over 20% said trans- action activity has declined in the first quarter. Deal highlights reinforce this trend. Members reported sig- nificant transactions ranging from a $24 million industrial continued from page 3
AI-powered endpoint tools, email authentication protocols, evolving staff training, 24/7 SOC monitoring, regular vul - nerability assessments, and a tested incident response plan. 1. Multi-Factor Authenti- cation on Everything If attackers steal your pass- word through an AI-driven credential attack, MFA is what stops them from getting in. Enable it on every business ap - plication, email account, and re- mote access tool. No exceptions. 2. AI-Powered Security Tools of Your Own Modern endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools use AI to catch unusual behavior patterns and stop threats that traditional antivirus would miss. Tools like Microsoft De - fender for Business and Hunt- ress are built to catch the kind of morphing malware AI at- tackers generate. Dark web monitoring is an - other critical layer. When sto- len credentials surface for sale in underground marketplaces, AI-powered monitoring catches it early, before attackers have a chance to use that information against you. 3. Email Filtering and Anti-Spoofing Protocols Properly configured SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records make it significantly harder to spoof your domain. Combined with strong email filtering, this stops the majority of AI-gener- ated phishing before it reaches your staff. Email security is one of the highest-value investments a small business can make. sale to multiple office leases exceeding 20,000 s/f. Another highlight reported is a 165,000 s/f corporate headquarters proj- ect. These examples underscore continued deal flow across asset
4. Security Awareness Training That Evolves Generic annual training is no longer enough. Look for programs that run regular simulated phishing campaigns, adapt to new attack styles, and give employees real-time feed- back when they make a mistake. 5. A 24/7 Security Opera- tions Center AI attacks do not respect business hours. A Security Op- erations Center (SOC) monitors your environment around the clock and responds before dam- age spreads. For most small businesses, a managed SOC through a trusted IT partner is the most cost-effective path to enterprise-grade coverage. 6. Regular Vulnerability Assessments Quarterly scans and annual penetration testing find the gaps in your defenses before attackers do. This is especially important if you have grown, added remote workers, or ad- opted new cloud tools in the past year. 7. A Tested Incident Re- sponse Plan When something goes wrong, and statistically something will, you need to know exactly what to do. An incident re- sponse plan tells your team who to call, how to contain the dam- age, and how to communicate with clients and regulators. What Role Does Micro- soft 365 Play in Your Cyber Defense? Microsoft 365 includes built- in security tools, such as De - fender for Business, Conditional types and geographies within the network. Referrals, Relationships, and Resilience Top sources of new busi- ness among CORFAC firms
Can small businesses protect themselves from AI-powered cyber attacks? continued from page 2
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