Part of my job is staying on top of what’s going on in cybersecurity. As a result, I regularly research the topic online so I can protect RelaNet customers. Today I found a resource that every RelaNet reader should be interested in. It’s a short video interview – just three minutes – with Lisa Traina, a partner with Traina & Associates, published by the Journal of Accountancy. In the interview, Ms. Traina talks about some of the data security risks faced by accountants and tax preparers. She also discusses a few easy ways accountants and tax preparers can improve their security.
The top risk identified by Ms. Traina is an attack called “ransomware.” In a ransomware attack, the files on a victim’s computer are encrypted so that the victim can’t access them. After encrypting the files, the attacker offers to decrypt the files and make them accessible again if a ransom is paid.
The top three tips that Mr. Traina offers for improving your firm’s cybersecurity are:
- Education & awareness. It’s important to know what kind of threats are out there, so that you can recognize and avoid them.
- Inventory of data and systems. This is the starting point for any threat mitigation strategy. You can’t protect your data and systems if you don’t know how many computers you have or where all your data is stored.
- Stop sending confidential information in email. Email is a fundamentally insecure technology. Ms. Traina recommends using a client portal to exchange sensitive information with clients.
You can watch the video here: Simple steps to boost cybersecurity
If you would like to talk about how RelaNet’s client portals can help boost your firm’s cybersecurity and help protect your data from ransomware attacks, please get in touch. I would be happy to schedule a time to talk.