{"id":13336,"date":"2018-08-04T08:00:59","date_gmt":"2018-08-04T13:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/taxprocenter.proconnect.intuit.com\/?p=13336"},"modified":"2020-07-24T09:56:08","modified_gmt":"2020-07-24T14:56:08","slug":"security-summit-reminds-tax-pros-to-beware-of-spear-phishing-emails","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/accountants.intuit.com\/taxprocenter\/practice-management\/security-summit-reminds-tax-pros-to-beware-of-spear-phishing-emails\/","title":{"rendered":"IRS Reminds Tax Pros to Use Strong Passwords, Encryption to Protect Taxpayer Data"},"content":{"rendered":"

The IRS and its Security Summit partners urge all tax professionals to use strong passwords to protect accounts from cyberthieves and to consider encryption for all sensitive data.<\/p>\n

Strong password and encryption protocols should be standard features of any data security plan that must be created by all professional tax return preparers. The Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee (ETAAC) noted in its recent annual report to Congress that many tax pros do not have data security plans that are required by the Federal Trade Commission.<\/p>\n

This is the third in a series called \u201cProtect Your Clients; Protect Yourself: Tax Security 101<\/a>.\u201d The Security Summit awareness campaign is intended to provide tax professionals with the basic information they need to better protect taxpayer data and to help prevent the filing of fraudulent tax returns.<\/p>\n

Although the Security Summit is making progress against tax-related identity theft, cybercriminals continue to evolve, and data thefts at tax professionals\u2019 offices is on the rise. Thieves use stolen data from tax practitioners to create fraudulent returns that are harder to detect.<\/p>\n

In recent months, cybersecurity experts\u2019 recommendations on what constitutes a strong password has changed. They now suggest that people use word phrases that are easy to remember, rather than random letters, characters and number that cannot be easily recalled.<\/p>\n

For example, experts formerly suggest something like \u201cPXro#)30\u201d but now suggest a phrase like \u201cSomethingYouCanRemember@30.\u201d By using a phrase, you don\u2019t have to write down your password and expose it to more risk. Also, people may be more willing to use strong, longer passwords if it\u2019s a phrase rather than random characters.<\/p>\n

Strengthen Your Password<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is critical that all tax practitioners establish strong, unique passwords for all accounts, whether it\u2019s to access a device, tax software products, cloud storage, wireless networks or encryption technology. Here\u2019s how to get started:<\/p>\n