Cybersecurity for tax professionals
Practical safeguards for tax practices, including MFA, access reviews, encryption, backups, phishing defense, and the controls behind a written information security plan.
Tax practices are a favorite target because one compromised mailbox or workstation can expose hundreds of clients' identities and refunds. Tax professionals also carry specific obligations. The FTC Safeguards Rule applies to them, and the IRS expects every preparer to maintain a written information security plan, or WISP, describing how client data is protected.
Many small practices have a WISP template on file but have not implemented what it describes. We focus on the controls that matter most: multi-factor authentication everywhere, least-privilege access, encrypted devices and backups, phishing defenses, patched systems, and a tested incident response plan.
Things to keep in mind
- The firm remains responsible for its own compliance. We implement and document technical safeguards.
- Review the plan before each filing season, when staffing and systems change.
- Report data theft promptly through the channels the IRS and your state require.
How it works
Assess
Inventory accounts, devices, software, data locations, and remote access, and rank the exposures.
Fix the essentials
Enforce MFA, remove stale accounts, encrypt devices, and secure email.
Back up and test
Make sure backups exist, are protected, and actually restore.
Document
Align the written plan with the controls actually in place, and set a review cadence.
Frequently asked questions
Do you write our WISP for us?
We help you complete it accurately and implement the technical safeguards it describes. Start with our WISP checklist.
Is MFA really necessary for a small office?
Yes. Stolen passwords are one of the most common routes into small practices, and MFA blocks most of those attempts.
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