Clear Path step · Business · Your industry's rules and risks
Harden for tax season before it starts
Why it matters: Criminals time attacks for deadlines, when people rush and downtime costs most. Preparing before the season is cheaper than recovering during it.
On your path if you picked “Financial services” for “What's your industry?”.
Do it
- Confirm MFA on tax software, IRS e-Services and client portals for every user.
- Brief staff on fake IRS notices, fake e-file alerts and fake client document shares.
- Monitor your EFIN usage and report anything unexpected to the IRS.
- Test a restore from an offline backup.
Check it worked: Tax software, IRS e-Services and client portals use MFA, staff have seen this year's tax-season lures, and a tested offline backup exists before the busy season.
Simply put
It's like servicing the car before a long holiday drive, not at the side of the highway. Criminals time attacks for deadlines, so locking accounts and testing a restore beforehand is cheaper than recovering mid-season.
In detail
IRS Publication 4557 is the IRS's own checklist for tax professionals and is a good benchmark for this step.
Points toward the Long View: a yearly pre-season routine that keeps deadline pressure from becoming an opening.