Practice Protect Articles

As accounting firms and the clients they serve spend more time online, it’s no surprise that cyberattacks continue to rise. That being said, there are many ways to fend off these online fraudsters, preventing your personal and business data from being compromised.  Companies and their customers can be exposed to these virtual villains in a […] Read more

FTC safeguards rule has captured a lot of attention in 2023 among the Accounting, Bookkeeping and Tax preparer community. With its complexities and implications, this regulation has left many practitioners pondering what it truly means for their practices and whether proactive steps are required. Working with over 23000 accountants, we have first hand experience with […] Read more

Are you a tax professional preparing for your PTIN renewal in 2023? Renewing your Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) is crucial, but that’s not the only aspect to consider. The IRS has introduced new guidelines, including IRS 4557, emphasizing the importance of data security for tax preparers in the United States. In this quick and […] Read more

Looking back at the previous 12 months from a cybersecurity perspective, it is apparent that there has been an alarming surge in global data breaches and cybercriminal activities. Consequently, cybersecurity concerns have permeated mainstream media with increasing frequency. A notable instance of such threats is the rise of Business Email Compromise (BEC) which has led […] Read more

Cybersecurity is a word everyone is familiar with these days. The word is synonymous with securing data and devices from malicious actors, but there is a lot more to understand about cybersecurity than just what the word itself means. In 2023, cybersecurity is one of an accounting or bookkeeping firm’s top priorities. In light of […] Read more

Ransomware attacks have played a prominent role in the headlines over 2022, but underneath the big corporate hacks, small and medium businesses are also being successfully targeted by this form of hack. Experts predict that based on ransomware’s run in 2022, this will only get worse in 2023. Therefore it’s important that as custodians of […] Read more

FTC safeguards rule has captured a lot of attention in 2023 among the Accounting, Bookkeeping and Tax preparer community. With its complexities and implications, this regulation has left many practitioners pondering what it truly means for their practices and whether proactive steps are required. Working with over 23000 accountants, we have first hand experience with […] Read more

Are you a tax professional preparing for your PTIN renewal in 2023? Renewing your Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) is crucial, but that’s not the only aspect to consider. The IRS has introduced new guidelines, including IRS 4557, emphasizing the importance of data security for tax preparers in the United States. In this quick and […] Read more

Security discussions have undergone a transformation to counter evolving cybercriminal tactics. Initially, focus centered on safeguarding client data to prevent financial and reputational harm. This resulted in investments in single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and a shift to cloud-based software with robust online security. With improved data protection, hackers shifted their attention to exploiting […] Read more

Time and time again, email has proven to be the most popular means by which hackers target accounting firms. 3 out of 4 companies are receiving an increased number of email-based threats, according to a study conducted throughout 2021. Email-based threats can range from simple phishing attempts to sophisticated ransomware attacks that can cause serious […] Read more

One in every 99 emails is a phishing email. Are your team members aware of the red flags that a crafty phishing email exhibits? Only one careless click is needed to expose your sensitive client data to malicious actors. Ensure that your team knows common red flags to look out for in a phishing email […] Read more

Let’s be honest, It’s difficult to create and remember secure passwords for a few different accounts, let alone the dozens of accounts you handle at your accounting firm every day. While retail password managers do a good job of keeping passwords in one place, they don’t have the advanced security features and access control that’s […] Read more

In today’s digital age, securing online accounts and sensitive information is more critical than ever, especially for accounting firms entrusted with safeguarding confidential client data. Traditional password-based authentication methods, while widely used, are increasingly proving to be vulnerable to various security threats. As a result, the tech industry has been actively exploring more secure and […] Read more

The start of 2023 has been filled with excitement around ChatGPT and the possibilities of AI. Most of us have given it a try and many are starting to imagine the way this technology can be put to use to change business processes to be simpler, faster and more efficient. This is big news for […] Read more

We’ve written an article before about how to protect your non-cloud assets. In it, we emphasised how Network Security is one of the key non-cloud assets that Accounting firms need to protect. In a more in-depth look at how to make sure your firm is working with a secure network, we present our 5 tips […] Read more

With cybercrime statistics rising, your clients are asking more and more questions about how secure the data they’re entrusting to you is. Some unspoken questions are: “Who has access to my files? “How are you securing my data?” Answering this question of data security is becoming critically important for accountants and bookkeepers in order to […] Read more

Cloud technology is becoming essential to the accounting industry, are you cloud-optimized?  The move to the cloud has changed not only how you work as an accountant, but also the way your team is structured, and how and where they work from. Staying in control of a distributed team and ensuring security standards are met […] Read more

Accountants have always been leaders in adopting cloud-based technology, understanding the benefits it brings in eliminating outdated, manual, and paper-based processes. The main barriers to obtaining these cloud based business advantages are around security and access management.  The Security Barrier A common misconception is that moving to the cloud will result in less security. The […] Read more