Tax returns, bank statements, Social Security numbers, payroll records — accounting firms hold the most valuable data on the dark web. A single breach exposes your clients to identity theft and your firm to lawsuits, regulatory penalties, and destroyed trust that takes a career to rebuild.
The IRS Written Information Security Plan (WISP) requirement and FTC Safeguards Rule both mandate encryption for client financial data. We implement encryption at every layer — files at rest, data in transit, email attachments, and backup copies — so your client data is unreadable even if intercepted or stolen.
AES-256 encryption on all client data files — tax returns, financial statements, and work papers encrypted at rest on servers and workstations
TLS enforced on all email, M365 Message Encryption for client-facing messages, and DLP rules auto-encrypting emails containing SSNs or financial data
TLS 1.2+ on all network connections — VPN, cloud services, client portals, and file transfers always encrypted in transit
BitLocker on every workstation and laptop — lost or stolen devices are unreadable without authentication
Email is the least secure way to exchange financial documents with clients. We deploy and manage secure client portals that provide encrypted document exchange, audit trails, and a professional experience your clients will appreciate.
Clients upload W-2s, 1099s, and financial documents through an encrypted portal — not email attachments that sit unprotected in inboxes forever.
Each client sees only their documents. No cross-client visibility. MFA required for portal access. Session timeouts prevent abandoned sessions.
Every upload, download, and view logged with timestamp and user identity — proving chain of custody for sensitive financial documents.
Not every staff member needs access to every client file. A junior bookkeeper should not have access to the managing partner's personal tax return. We implement layered access controls ensuring each team member sees only the data required for their role — and every access is logged.
Partners, managers, seniors, staff — each role gets specific data access permissions
Restrict specific client files to assigned team members only
Every file access, email sent, and document download logged with user and timestamp
Prevent SSN and financial data from being emailed externally or copied to USB
Immediate access revocation when employees depart — zero residual access
Auto-classification of financial documents with appropriate handling restrictions
Since 2022, the IRS requires every tax professional to have a Written Information Security Plan (WISP) under the FTC Safeguards Rule. This is not optional — it is a legal requirement for maintaining your PTIN. We implement every control the WISP requires and maintain the documentation the IRS expects to see.
Complete Written Information Security Plan tailored to your firm — not a generic template. Covers risk assessment, employee training, incident response, and technical controls.
All nine elements of the updated Safeguards Rule implemented — designated coordinator, risk assessment, access controls, encryption, incident response, and vendor management.
Implementation of all IRS-recommended security practices from Publication 4557 — the definitive guide for tax preparers protecting client data.
The IRS, AICPA, and FTC all require multi-factor authentication for accessing client financial data. A stolen password should never be enough to access tax returns, bank statements, or accounting files. We enforce MFA on every system, every user, every login — with no exceptions.
Push notification MFA for M365, VPN, and firm applications — fast, secure, and phishing-resistant with number matching
Policies that evaluate risk before granting access — known device? Usual location? Compliant endpoint? If not, additional verification required.
MFA enforced on Drake, Lacerte, ProSeries, and all tax preparation platforms — preventing unauthorized access to client returns
Our free financial data security assessment evaluates your encryption, client portal security, access controls, IRS WISP compliance, and MFA enforcement — and delivers a scored report showing exactly where your firm is protected and where client data is exposed.