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Accountants: High-Value Targets
Accountants and CPAs handle SSNs, bank account numbers, income details, and tax returns for dozens or hundreds of clients. During tax season, you're processing this data constantly — often from home, client offices, or on the go.
A single breach could expose hundreds of clients' financial identities.
IRS Requirements
The IRS requires tax professionals to implement a Written Information Security Plan (WISP). Key requirements include:
- Encryption of client data in transit — VPN provides this
- Secure remote access — VPN + 2FA
- Protection of portable devices — Full-disk encryption + VPN
- Employee security awareness — Understanding of phishing and data handling
Tax Season Security Setup
- VPN always on during all client work — non-negotiable during tax season
- Dedicated IP for IRS e-filing systems and client portals that whitelist IPs
- Kill switch enabled — if VPN drops, client data stops flowing
- Encrypted cloud storage for client documents (not regular Google Drive)
- Separate browser profile for tax work — no personal browsing in tax profile
- Client portal security — 2FA on all accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero, Drake)
Recommended: NordVPN
- Dedicated IP for IRS e-filing and client portal access
- Threat Protection blocks phishing sites impersonating IRS, banks, and accounting software
- Kill switch prevents data leaks during tax season crunch
- $3.39/month — tax-deductible business expense
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