It is hard to imagine an organization with access to more sensitive information than the IRS. The IRS has our social security numbers, our income information, family information, and much more. Given this reality, one would expect that the IRS goes to great lengths to safeguard this information – right?
It is hard to imagine an organization with access to more sensitive information than the IRS. The IRS has our social security numbers, our income information, family information, and much more. Given this reality, one would expect that the IRS goes to great lengths to safeguard this information – right?
Unfortunately, this doesn’t appear to be the case. In fact, analysts suggest that the IRS may have a number of vulnerabilities when it comes to safeguarding personal information. CNBC reports:
Serious security weaknesses in the Internal Revenue Service's data system have left millions of taxpayers' sensitive financial information vulnerable to hackers.
The agency claims it has fixed the problem, but its auditors beg to differ.
A new report released by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) found that although the IRS claimed it had implemented 19 fixes to secure the system recommended by the auditor in previous years, at least eight (or 42 percent) of them "had not been fully implemented," and should not have been checked off as completed.
The auditors said the IRS never tracked its progress on the repairs, and in many cases, it closed cases without submitting documentation to prove the fix was complete. The auditors blamed it on "weakened management controls."
The report also found that the agency didn't properly scan servers—which contain taxpayer information—for "major vulnerabilities," or properly lock user accounts, and it did not update software on databases.
"When the right degree of security diligence is not applied to systems, disgruntled insiders or malicious outsiders can exploit security weaknesses and may gain unauthorized access," Treasury Inspector General J. Russell George said.
This is worth noting on several different levels. First, and most obviously, it is discomforting to know that the IRS apparently hasn’t followed proper procedures when it comes to safeguarding sensitive personal information. Unfortunately, unlike with private organizations, we taxpayers don’t have a choice as to whether or not to “do business” with the IRS. We are certain that IRS agents would not react kindly to a letter from a taxpayer declining to file taxes due to security concerns.
On another level, there is a great deal of irony in the IRS’ apparent failure to follow established procedures, and particularly their failure to track and document their progress. It’s ironic that an organization which expects taxpayers to document every mile they drive and every penny that they spend would fail to document critical procedures pertaining to security.
But the fact of the matter is that the IRS has the power to make taxpayers miserable –whether or not they are practicing what they preach. We have personally worked with countless taxpayers in the midst of IRS disputes – and many of them were stressed out, tired, and scared. If you find yourself in a similar situation, we want to help. We’ll work with you every step of the way until your IRS dispute is resolved. If you would like to learn more, call 844-841-9857 today!
