How One Accountant Avoided a Cyberattack During Tax Season

John, an experienced accountant, was buried in work during tax season. Between client requests and last-minute filings, his inbox was flooded with e-mails. One morning, he received an e-mail from a long-time client with an attachment labeled “Final Tax Documents.” Without thinking, John opened the link, and suddenly his computer froze with a ransomware message demanding payment to unlock his files.

Panicked, John remembered his recent cybersecurity training, which had emphasized not paying ransom and seeking professional help. He quickly contacted his IT support, who helped him recover his files from a secure backup. They also implemented stronger security measures, including Multifactor Authentication (MFA) for his financial systems, and educated his team on how to spot phishing e-mails.

John was lucky to recover quickly, but his experience served as a powerful reminder: cybercriminals target businesses during the busy tax season, knowing employees may be too distracted to notice potential threats. By staying vigilant and taking proactive security measures, John was able to protect his business and avoid a costly disaster.

 

Protect Your Business This Tax Season: Cybersecurity Tips for 2025

 

  • Is your business prepared to prevent cyber threats this tax season? What steps are you taking to secure sensitive financial data?
  • Have you trained your team to recognize phishing scams and other cyber risks that spike during tax season?
  • Did you know that implementing Multifactor Authentication (MFA) can significantly protect your business from hackers this tax season? How secure are your business systems?

 

As tax season approaches, businesses are focused on preparing financial documents, filing returns, and meeting tight deadlines. Unfortunately, this busy season also presents an ideal opportunity for cybercriminals who target businesses when employees and owners are preoccupied.

Cybercriminals are always looking for ways to exploit sensitive data, scam businesses, and cause chaos. In this blog, TruAdvantage explains why tax season is a prime time for cyberattacks and shares actionable steps to help you stay one step ahead of cyber threats.

 

Why Tax Season Attracts Cybercriminals

  1. Increased Exchange of Sensitive Financial Data During tax season, businesses share sensitive financial and personal data internally and with external partners like accountants or payroll providers. This provides multiple points of vulnerability for cybercriminals to exploit. Hackers commonly use fake e-mails to target employees and gain access to sensitive information.
  2. Tight Deadlines Lead to Mistakes With the pressure to meet deadlines, employees may overlook potential cyber risks, such as phishing e-mails, suspicious links, or unsafe file attachments. Under tight deadlines, businesses may be more vulnerable to scams, malware, and other cyberattacks.
  3. High Volume of E-mails Tax season brings a surge of e-mails, including tax forms, payment requests, and compliance updates. Cybercriminals often capitalize on this high volume by sending convincing phishing e-mails that appear legitimate in order to intercept sensitive data and launch cyberattacks.
  4. Scams Impersonating Trusted Entities Hackers frequently impersonate trusted organizations, such as the IRS or tax services, to trick businesses into sharing confidential information or making fraudulent payments.

Common Cybersecurity Threats During Tax Season

  1. Phishing E-mails Fraudulent e-mails pretending to be from the IRS, tax services, or internal staff can trick employees into clicking malicious links or providing sensitive information.
  2. Fake Invoices and Payment Requests Scammers send fake invoices or payment demands to trick businesses into transferring money to unauthorized accounts.
  3. Ransomware Attacks Cybercriminals may use ransomware to encrypt valuable financial data and demand a ransom in exchange for its release.
  4. Social Engineering Attacks Cybercriminals may impersonate accountants, payroll providers, or other trusted individuals via phone calls or e-mails to extract sensitive data or financial information.

How TruAdvantage Protects Your Business This Tax Season

  1. Employee Training and Awareness Employee education is essential to protecting your business from cyberattacks. TruAdvantage recommends training employees on the latest scams and phishing tactics. Key training points include:
    • Verifying e-mail senders before opening attachments or clicking links.
    • Recognizing and reporting suspicious payment requests or account updates.
    • Immediately reporting any potential cybersecurity threats.
  2. Secure Data Exchange Ensure that all sensitive data exchanges are encrypted, particularly when sharing tax documents. Avoid sending sensitive information through e-mail, and use secure portals or file-sharing tools instead. TruAdvantage can assist in setting up secure communication systems to protect your business.
  3. Implement Multifactor Authentication (MFA) Multifactor Authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security to your business systems. By requiring MFA for accessing financial systems, e-mail accounts, and tax-related platforms, you reduce the risk of a data breach. Even if login credentials are compromised, MFA can prevent unauthorized access.
  4. Conduct a Comprehensive Cybersecurity Audit Protect your business by working with TruAdvantage to perform a cybersecurity audit. We’ll identify system vulnerabilities before hackers can exploit them. Our audit will focus on:
    • Updating software and applying critical patches.
    • Securing network endpoints and devices.
    • Ensuring the integrity of data backups.
  5. Verify All Financial Requests Verify payment requests, especially those involving large sums or sensitive accounts. Confirm requests using a second method, such as a phone call, to prevent falling victim to fraudulent payment scams.

Don’t Let Cybercriminals Exploit Your Business This Tax Season

Tax season doesn’t have to be an open season for cybercriminals. By staying vigilant, educating your team, and implementing proactive cybersecurity measures, you can protect your business from becoming a victim of a cyberattack.

Let TruAdvantage ensure the only thing you’re filing this tax season is a successful tax return, not a cybersecurity incident report. Start with a Complimentary Network Assessment from TruAdvantage to identify potential vulnerabilities and ensure your systems are secure and ready for tax season.

Click here to schedule your Complimentary Network Assessment now!

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