CPAs, tax practitioners, and other advisors often deal with very sensitive client data. Cybercriminals are highly sophisticated, well-funded, and technologically adept at hacking computers and sealing information. CPAs and tax practitioners are some of their most highly desired targets. When cybercriminals wrongfully obtain client information, they can wreak all kinds of havoc including filing fraudulent tax returns for refunds or committing identity theft.

Advisors and other data custodians must protect client information by protecting computers, mobile devices, and networks in addition to taking some simple safety precautions. This course will define information security, describe the numerous types of threats that exist today, and define how to protect your computer systems and networks to keep client data safe. You will be introduced to some of the technical information involved in information security, presented in terms of how such concepts are most relevant for financial advisors.

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

• identify the importance of information security for CPAs, tax practitioners, and other advisors
• remember important terminology related to information security
• define the term "identity theft" and recognize how identity theft most commonly occurs
• recognize why CPAs and tax professionals are being targeted by cybercriminals
• recognize the importance of encrypting client data
• identify the importance of creating internal controls and a security plan to protect client data
• recognize the actions that must be taken in the event of a breach of sensitive client identity data

CPAs, EAs, and other tax and financial professionals