Maintaining the privacy and protection of customers’ and employees’ personal information is a risk management issue for all organizations. The increase in identity theft is also a concern for all organizations. Laws and regulations continue to place requirements on businesses for the protection of personal data. Myriad laws and regulations
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TOPICS / TECHNOLOGY
Information security & privacy
PwC: Internal audit has to play a more substantial role in information security
Most companies fail to adequately monitor and update their defenses against cybercriminals, raising the risk of costly data security breaches, according to PwC. Fortifying Your Defenses: The Role of Internal Audit in Assuring Data Security and Privacy, a PwC white paper, asserts that the increasing frequency and sophistication of hacker
Most U.S. small businesses lack disaster-recovery plans
More than 60% of U.S. small businesses do not have a formal emergency-response plan and fail to back up their financial data off-site, leaving them vulnerable to catastrophic data loss in the event of a natural disaster. The Small Business Disaster Preparedness Study, conducted by software maker Sage North America,
Key threat
Q: My colleague says keylogging malware represents a significant security threat. Do you agree, and, if so, how can we minimize this type of threat? A: I agree with your colleague. Keylogging spyware can be a serious security threat that is difficult to combat and often goes undetected by popular
Protecting privacy
Under pressure from regulatory requirements, professional standards, and client expectations—not to mention increasingly sophisticated hackers—CPA firms are emphasizing efforts to protect the privacy of confidential information under their purview. The following steps can help firms mitigate the risk of a reputation-damaging data breach: Identify and classify the types of information
InPrivate browsing
Q: I prefer to browse the internet using Internet Explorer’s InPrivate Browsing mode to better protect my computer, but I find it time-consuming to constantly switch to this mode. Is there a way to make InPrivate Browsing my default setting? A: As you mentioned, Microsoft Internet Explorer offers InPrivate Browsing,
Managing cybersecurity risks
CPA firms and other businesses need to keep cybersecurity top of mind as they look to cash in on opportunities created by the growth of mobile and cloud computing. “It’s all about managing risk,” accounting-technology expert David Cieslak, CPA/CITP, CGMA, told a packed audience during his annual Security Update session
JofA Cybersecurity Center
Cybercrime is a significant threat to CPA firms and their clients. For businesses and other organizations, the loss of customer or employee records to a cyberattack can cost millions of dollars and do significant damage to reputation and brand. Data breaches cost organizations $5.5 million per incident, or $194 per
Technology and CPAs: Visions of the future
Which technologies will have the biggest impact on accounting, and how will they transform the profession? Which technology skills will CPAs need to be successful?
Data breaches emerge as tech sector’s fastest-rising risk factor
Concerns over technology breaches and data security are soaring among the largest U.S. tech companies, according to a new report from accounting and consulting firm BDO. An examination of the most recent SEC 10-K filings for the 100 biggest publicly traded technology companies found that 71% listed data-security breaches as
CPAs prioritize tech security
CPAs are confident that their organizations can secure their IT networks and manage data, but they doubt whether their employers will be able to generate revenue streams and other benefits from emerging technologies such as cloud computing and mobile devices, the AICPA reported in releasing the results of its 2012
TIGTA recommends improvements to IRS cybersecurity system
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) reports that the IRS’s computer security response center is performing effectively, but further improvement is needed (TIGTA Rep’t No. 2012-20-019 (3/12/12)). Part of TIGTA’s mandate is to review the adequacy and security of IRS technology. From March through September 2011, TIGTA performed
CPAs prioritize security, unsure how to best leverage new technologies
CPAs are confident that their organizations can secure their IT networks and manage data, but they doubt whether their employers will be able to generate revenue streams and other benefits from emerging technologies such as cloud computing and mobile devices, the AICPA reported Wednesday in releasing the results of its
Heads in the cloud: Part 1
Cloud computing creates unprecedented opportunities for CPA firms to do more chargeable work faster and with better client communications. But transitioning to the cloud and having confidential information accessible over the Internet raises implementation and security concerns that CPA firms must address. To help CPAs better understand the benefits and
Securing Remote Devices
Remote-access technologies—such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and at-home desktops—and automated processes have made the CPA’s job more efficient and convenient but also have created more opportunities for fraud and theft. These control procedures can help mitigate the risks. —By Randolph P. Johnston, (randyj@nmgi.com) executive vice president of Network Management Group
Technology 2012 Preview: Part 2
CPAs, whether in public practice or in industry, face a dizzying array of technological choices as 2012 approaches. To help everyone prepare for the year ahead, the JofA gathered the three technology keynote speakers from the AICPA’s 2011 Practitioners Symposium/TECH+ Conference to discuss the hottest tech topics in the accounting
Security Issues
With 2012 just around the corner, the JofA gathered the three technology keynote speakers from the AICPA’s 2011 Practitioners Symposium/TECH+ Conference to talk about tech trends heading into the new year. The nearly 90-minute conversation covered a wide range of technical issues critical to all CPAs. Participating in the call
Technology 2012 Preview: Part 1
With 2012 just around the corner, the JofA gathered the three technology keynote speakers from the AICPA’s 2011 Practitioners Symposium/TECH+Conference to talk about tech trends heading into the new year. The nearly 90-minute conversation covered a wide range of technical issues critical to all CPAs. Participating in the call were:
Semiblock Your Facebook Wall
Q: How can I keep my professional friends from seeing the personal stuff I post on my Facebook Wall? A: To block your Facebook Wall from selected friends, start by creating a Block List, as follows. From the left column of your Facebook home page, hover over the LISTS options
What’s Your Fraud IQ?
Much attention is given to safeguarding financial and physical assets from fraud, but proprietary information can also be a target for theft. How much do you know about protecting personal and corporate information from would-be fraudsters? Take this Fraud IQ quiz to find out. 1. Ferdinand’s personal financial information recently
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