The Internal Revenue Service, state tax
agencies and the tax industry today reminded tax professionals that their
entire digital network could be at risk for remote takeover by cybercriminals.
Such a takeover could lead to fraudulent tax filings and damage to their
clients.
Multiple incidents have been reported to the
IRS in the past year as tax professionals’ systems have been secretly
infiltrated. The criminals accessed client tax returns, completed those
returns, e-filed them and secretly directed refunds to their own accounts.
Increasing awareness about remote takeovers is
part of the “Don’t Take the Bait” campaign, a 10-part series aimed at tax
professionals. The IRS, state tax agencies and the tax industry, working
together as the Security Summit, urge practitioners to learn to protect
themselves from remote takeovers. This is part of the ongoing Protect Your Clients; Protect Yourself effort.
“This is another emerging threat to tax
professionals that the IRS has seen on the rise,” IRS Commissioner John
Koskinen said. “A remote takeover can be devastating to practitioners’ business
as well as to the taxpayers they serve. It’s critical for people to take steps
to understand and prevent these security threats before it’s too late.”
A remote attack targets an individual
computer or network as the cybercriminal exploits weaknesses in security
settings to access the devices. Another line of attack uses malware to download
malicious code that gives the criminals access to the network. Especially
vulnerable are wireless networks, including mobile phones, modems and router
devices, printers, fax machines and televisions that retain their
factory-issued password settings. Sometimes, these devices have no protection
at all.
There are multiple ways that cybercriminals can
gain control of computers and other devices. Phishing emails with attachments
can easily download malware that, when opened, give the criminal remote control
of a computer.
Cybercriminals also can deploy certain tools
that allow them to identify the location of and get access to unprotected
wireless devices. For example, a printer with a factory-issued password can
easily be accessed, and the criminals can see tax return information stored in
its memory.
The IRS urges tax professionals to take the
following steps to help protect themselves from remote takeovers:
- Educate staff members about
the dangers of phishing scams, which can be in the form of emails, texts
and calls, as well as the threat posed by remote access attacks;
- Use strong security software,
set it to update automatically and run a periodic security “deep scan” to
search for viruses and malware;
- Identify and assess wireless
devices connected to the network, including mobile phones, computers,
printers, fax machines, routers, modems and televisions. Replace factory
password settings with strong passwords.
- Strengthen passwords for
devices and for software access. Make sure passwords are a minimum of
eight digits (more is better) with a mix of numbers, letters and special
characters;
- Be alert for phishing scams:
do not click on links or open attachments from unknown, unsolicited or
suspicious senders;
- Review
any software that employees use to remotely access the network as well as
those used by IT support vendors to remotely troubleshoot technical
problems. Remote access software is a potential target for bad actors to
gain entry and take control of a machine. Disable remote access software
until it is needed.
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