Tax seasons pose the greatest risk for accounting firms. Workers are too busy to react to threats, and criminals are launching more attacks. Tax season cybersecurity becomes more important than ever.

To get IT support for accountants, speak to a professional in your area and read along to find out how to protect yourself and your business.

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When Workloads Spike, Security Habits Get Overlooked

Tax deadlines can be frightening. Workers may make the wrong decision because they are under pressure. These are a few habits that undermine tax season cybersecurity.

Overlook authentication steps

During busy tax seasons, workers may turn off authentication steps to save time, unaware of the consequences. Abandoning the protocol means hackers can impersonate team members and gain access to information more easily. 

Ignore alerts

System alerts can be distracting, especially when your attention is on other things. Accountants and office staff prefer to shut down system alerts for their peace of mind. While these may be false alarms, it is also possible to miss real threats.

Improper storage

Accounting firms often have designated cloud or system storage with enhanced protection. However, accessing those storage spaces may require security steps. Workers may choose to store files on unprotected devices for convenience.

How Attackers Take Advantage of the Tax Season “Chaos Window”

Criminals know the best time to attack, which is when accounting firms can’t spare manhours to monitor their systems. Attackers will launch these major attacks to take advantage of the chaos.

Intense phishing attacks

Since accountants have to open a ton of emails and files during tax season, hackers will increase the frequency of phishing attacks. They may try to get team members to open contaminated files or download spyware unknowingly.

Credential harvesting

Accountants have to access different platforms to fetch information. Criminals will create fake login pages, hoping that busy workers will not notice the difference. 

Fraud

Vendors may take advantage to create false invoices to scam money. Without cross-checking, these invoices can be approved by busy team members.

The Human Factor: Why Stress Lowers Defense

Stress can cause judgment errors easily, especially when the stressful period lasts for a few weeks. Human errors are the major cause of security breaches. 

Workload fatigue

When the mind is preoccupied with different tasks, digital security may become a backdrop that is easy to forget. Sometimes, workers may also store passwords in an open space, such as on their desktop, which can be seen by anyone passing through the area.

Remote work

Remote work means there is a higher chance of connection vulnerabilities. Sensitive information may be leaked through insecure networks. 

Lack of support

Workers may feel unsupported when everyone is busy. They can make wrong decisions in a rush, compromising financial data security.

Systems Can Become Vulnerable Under Peak Demand

Some less-advanced systems may not hold up when overworked. They may start granting unauthorized access or shut down, severely impacting performance and financial data security.

System overload

Systems may stop working when overloaded. They may pause visits temporarily or be unable to stop incoming threats.

Excessive permission

Systems that have been worked on may mistakenly grant excessive permissions to visitors without verification to reduce processing.

Unmonitored traffic

When the traffic is high, systems may no longer effectively monitor and control traffic origins. Criminals may have a chance to slip through.

Practical Safeguards That Hold Up Under Peak Financial 

Safeguarding your assets goes beyond downloading the first cybersecurity app you see. Here are a few tips for busy decision makers like you during the tax season.

Get IT support

Work with a trusted IT management service agency like Cyber Husky for your accounting firm. From system integration to security enhancement, let the expert protect you, so you can free up the time to do what you do best.

Train workers

Offering adequate training maximizes the effectiveness of security measures. Workers should be familiar with different cybersecurity threats and the proper response to protect themselves and the company.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

There should be mandatory MFA measures in place. Workers should not be allowed to skip MFA just because it is convenient. MFA should be in place for all devices, in case a worker decides to use their personal device for work.

In conclusion 

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It is understandable that tax seasons are stressful, which is why you don’t want cybersecurity threats on top of it.

Enhance your security systems by working with IT professionals. It is the first step to protecting your business and your clients.