More than a third of 2022 survey participants reported that integration of business management, office workflow, or customer data management software with tax and other software is important to their accounting operations. Two accounting software and application providers that many readers are already familiar with, Right Networks and Office-Tools, provide excellent cybersecurity information and best practice suggestions published on their websites. This month’s column covers some of these resources.
correct network
Right Networks (https://www.rightnetworks.com/) provides cloud hosting of QuickBooks, Lacerte, Intuit ProSeries, Drake Software’s accounting and tax applications, and other information technology services. Right Network’s Resource Library (https://www.rightnetworks.com/resources/) offers articles, e-books, checklists, videos, and webinars on a variety of accounting, tax, technology, and practice management topics. I’m here. Access to much of the resource library material requires an initial free signup. Archived webinars typically run for about an hour and are recorded from live CPE sessions. E-books are typically 8-page PDF documents.
A good place to start with our resource library is the “CPA Cyber Security 101: Your Role in Protecting Your Firm” archived webinar at https://bit.ly/3jgt9JF. It covers current security headlines and threats, phishing emails. , what to do if you suspect a breach, 22 cybersecurity tips, and security resources. Another introductory webcast was “Key Points to the Accounting Firm Cybersecurity Checklist” (https://bit.ly/3VoYAit), which provides recommended corporate infrastructure, information and resources to minimize risk. Summarizes IRS requirements for security and recommended security resources for employee education. A great companion to these videos is the “CPA Cybersecurity Checklist” (https://bit.ly/3HJj9CU). It highlights key security checkpoints for your enterprise, explains how to ensure data security, and addresses security threats.
In addition to legal requirements to maintain good governance and data security, tax practitioners also follow the IRS “Security Six” summarized in IRS Tax Tip 2019-117 (August 27, 2019) is needed. Factor Authentication, Backup Software or Services, Drive Encryption, and Virtual Private Networks. Other IRS resources are listed in the sidebar. IRS Security SixRight Network’s resource library includes “Straight Talk on Security 6: Secure Your Company and client tax data”. The most concerning cybersecurity threats facing tax practitioners, how to identify common risk areas, how to meet his IRS guidelines on data security and protection, and how to mitigate corporate cybersecurity risks This section explains. A related e-book is “Security for Accounting Firms: How to Comply with IRS ‘Security 6’ and Keep Your Client Data Safe” (https://bit.ly/3v2HhZv) for more on IRS Security 6 are summarized. We describe the IRS requirements for corporate compliance with the CPA and make some suggestions that go beyond the IRS’s minimum requirements.
correct network
Right Networks right network blog (https://www.rightnetworks.com/blog/), which can be sorted by the same topics as the resource library. Blog posts are displayed in web page format and no free signup is required. It also contains hyperlinks to the original source material or related items on the Right Networks website.
“Top Cybersecurity Takeaways by Right Networks Security Leaders” (https://bit.ly/3G3aav7) provides insight into the cybercrime “industry” and the “vendors” that provide cybercrime services and technical support. It offers. Right Networks staff believe phishing emails are one of the biggest causes of cyberattacks CPA faces. Two-factor authentication as required by the IRS is a necessary but not sufficient protection against intrusion. Nothing can replace regular employee training to overcome cybersecurity challenges.
“Meet IRS Cybersecurity Requirements with a Data Security Plan” (https://bit.ly/3BLKEYP) lists security 6 for the IRS and cybersecurity to get a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) It describes the requirements and suggests ways to develop the qualification. Data security plan. Also, “His Five Cybersecurity Predictions for Accounting Firms” (https://bit.ly/3WrJSIm) presents his 2023 scenarios that are most likely to impact accounting firms. increase. These include cybercriminals using “deep fakes,” such as advanced voice and face duplication, and increasingly destructive ransomware capabilities. We also expect increased regulation by governments, vendors offering an integrated menu of security services, and third parties who require assurances of their security before doing business.
Office tools
OfficeTools (https://www.officetools.com/) is a practice management software provider for accounting and tax firms. Its products include all-in-one client, project, task, document, time, and billing management on-premises or in the cloud. The OfficeTools “Resource Library” (https://www.officetools.com/library/) offers infographics, brochures, white papers, videos, and webinars. Infographic “8 Accounting Cybersecurity Best Practices” (https://bit.ly/3PFsuxj) summarizes cybersecurity considerations for accounting technologies such as email, servers, cloud solutions and employees am. Examples of best practices such as scheduling multiple backups, assigning different permissions to different users, and requiring employee security training.
Perhaps as an incentive to follow OfficeTools best practices, “CPA Firms Need to Address ASAP 9 Cybersecurity Risks Need to Address ASAP” (https://bit.ly/3G6eDxe) highlights the obvious risks and risks facing accounting practices. It outlines the less obvious risks. Common concerns include remote work vulnerabilities, client data risks, financial risks, and ransomware attacks. Less anticipated issues are human error and negligence, “hacker next door”, and reputational damage.
Office Tools accounting blog (https://www.officetools.com/blog/) offers several posts on cybersecurity, such as “Meeting the challenges of accounting cybersecurity in 2022”. Best Practices (https://bit.ly/3BNZWfD). “Updating Your CPA Firm’s Data Security Plan for 2022” (https://bit.ly/3BO0dzb) is a must-read, detailing nine data security risks and eight best practices (above), and is available at: It has a link. Underlying source data or external websites.
“IRS Steps Up Tackling Identity Theft in Accounting and Tax Preparation” (https://bit.ly/3WvhTre) lists common forms of tax identity theft, including phishing scams and stolen emails. methods are listed. “Know Your Data Privacy Acronyms: GLBA and CPRA” (https://bit.ly/3hxlsOR) is a useful summary of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). This post includes a link to a practical “Technical Checklist for Accounting Firms” (https://bit.ly/3WdfiCs), which includes questions such as whether the firm’s clients and financial data are secure. I’m here.
