NEW ENGLAND REALTY ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP - (NEN)

10-K Filing Date: March 14, 2024
ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY

The Partnership’s information technology, communication networks, system applications, accounting and financial reporting platforms and related systems, and those that are offered to residents and tenants, are integral to the operation of the business. The Partnership utilizes these systems, among others, for financial analysis, management, and reporting, for facilitation of operations, including for the initiation, generation, and completion of resident leasing, for internal communications, and for various other aspects of the business.

The Partnership’s cybersecurity strategy is focused on detection, protection, incident response, security risk management and mitigation, and resiliency of the cybersecurity infrastructure. The Partnership has implemented or is in the process of continuously evaluating, testing and updating various information security processes and policies designed to identify, assess and manage material risks from cybersecurity threats to the Partnership’s critical computer networks, third-party hosted services, communications systems, hardware and software, and critical data, including confidential information that is proprietary, strategic or competitive in nature, as well as any personally identifiable information related to the Partnership’s residents’ and employees’ personal data.

To operate its business, the Partnership engages certain third-party vendors to perform a variety of functions. The Partnership seeks to engage reliable, reputable service providers. Depending upon the nature of the services and the sensitivity of the data that a third-party service provider processes, the Partnership’s vendor management procedures include reviewing the cybersecurity procedures, imposing contractual requirements, and conducting as needed periodic reassessments. The Partnership seeks to further enhance this review to expand the scope and depth of this analysis.

Cybersecurity is a critical component of our risk management process. We recognize that no single technology, process, or business control can effectively prevent or mitigate all risks, thus we use a variety of tools including multi-factor authentication and antivirus and firewall protection, to help identify, protect, detect, respond to, and recover from cyber threats. These individual technologies work together as part of our strategy to minimize risk. This strategy is tested through audits and independent program assessments, as well as through additional exercises with our Managed Service Provider, designed to assess effectiveness. The Managed Service Provider actively manages our firewalls, multi-factor authentication, antivirus, and Azure environment. Our Managed Service Provider also reviews our cybersecurity program on a quarterly basis and provides recommendations toward best industry practice. Our cybersecurity program is continually evolving to align with NIST standards, and we regularly monitor our progression toward these standards.

Our Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing our cybersecurity and data privacy risks. Our cybersecurity program is led by the Hamilton Company’s Chief Financial Officer, who, along with the Hamilton Company’s Director of Information Technology who has been with Hamilton for 38 years, provide regular updates each quarter to the Audit Committee regarding this program, including information about the cybersecurity threat landscape, investments in infrastructure and opportunities to protect and enhance the Company’s systems and security of products and operations. The also Board receives periodic briefings from management regarding cybersecurity activities and initiatives.

The Partnership’s cybersecurity program is designed to safeguard the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data and systems within the Company’s environment to effectively support our business objectives and customer needs. Our commitment to cybersecurity focuses on enhancing our prevention, monitoring, and detection response capabilities to identify and respond to evolving threats. We believe cybersecurity is the responsibility of every employee of the Hamilton Company, and it is prioritized each year. We regularly test, educate, and share best practices with employees of the Hamilton Company to raise awareness of cyber threats through a comprehensive security awareness training program. Our Managed Service Provider is responsible for testing our ability to restore our critical infrastructure on a quarterly basis. Additionally, our incident response and disaster recovery plans are reviewed and updated annually.

During 2023, we have not encountered cybersecurity challenges that have materially impaired our operations, business strategy or financial condition.

13