Most accounting firms think cyberattacks happen to “bigger practices.”
But in reality: small and mid-size CPA firms are now the preferred target because criminals know you hold everything they want: Social Security numbers, payroll records, bank details, prior-year returns, EFIN data and client PII that is nearly impossible to replace if stolen.
One phishing email disguised as an IRS verification request can shut down a 12-person firm for three days, freeze access to tax software during peak deadlines and trigger a potential compliance investigation. Most partners only realize the risk after an incident, not before.
This guide exists to prevent that.
This is a practical, plain-language field manual for accounting firm owners, partners and operations leaders who want clarity without jargon. It explains why your firm is a high-value target, the minimum controls you must have to stay aligned with IRS Publication 4557, the FTC Safeguards Rule and SOC 2 expectations, and exactly how to implement cybersecurity in a structured, step by step plan.
Early on, one fact is important to understand. Verito provides dedicated, secure cloud solutions and managed IT services built exclusively for tax and accounting firms, with bank-level security, 100 percent uptime and 24/7 expert support. This specialization matters because cybersecurity for accounting firms is not the same as cybersecurity for generic small businesses. Your workflows, compliance expectations and busy-season pressures require a different level of consistency and monitoring.
By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to protect client data confidently, avoid the most common IRS and FTC security pitfalls and decide whether to build internally or partner with a specialist. You’ll also see how a unified hosting, IT and cybersecurity model removes the gaps that cause most breaches in small to mid-size CPA firms.
When you’re ready, you can move toward a free cybersecurity audit for tax and accounting firms to get a clear risk score, gap analysis and action plan.
TLDR: Cybersecurity for accounting firms comes down to one principle: protect identity, protect devices, protect data. If you secure how your staff log in, how their devices behave and where your client files live, you eliminate most risks. The rest is about consistent monitoring, documentation and removing the gaps created by multiple vendors.
Why Accounting Firms Are High-Value Cyber Targets
Accounting firms sit at the center of some of the most sensitive data in the country. A single client file often contains more identity information than a bank’s onboarding packet. For attackers, that combination makes firms one of the most profitable and least defended segments of the professional services world.
The Data Criminals Want
Most partners underestimate just how valuable their client data is. Tax returns include full names, SSNs, dependent information, income records, retirement account details, payroll data, banking information, prior-year filings, W-2s, 1099s, K-1s and corporate financials. This volume of verified personal and business data sells at a premium on criminal marketplaces because it can be used for identity theft, refund fraud, loan fraud and corporate impersonation.
While a stolen credit card might earn a cybercriminal a few dollars, a full tax file can generate hundreds because it unlocks multiple types of fraud. Attackers know that accounting firms store years of this information and rarely have the security maturity of a bank or healthcare system.
Attack Patterns Designed for Accountants
Threat actors no longer send generic phishing emails. They craft messages that look exactly like IRS correspondence, e-file notifications, bank verification requests or software update prompts. Examples include:
- An email asking to “revalidate EFIN information”
- A message appearing to come from a payroll provider with updated employee forms
- A shared drive link claiming to contain a client’s missing W-2
- A supposed Intuit or Thomson Reuters “urgent license update”
These attacks are not theoretical. In recent seasons, firms have been hit by ransomware strains that lock all desktops, QuickBooks files and tax applications until a payment is made. Others have experienced business email compromise where an attacker quietly monitors inboxes and redirects refund transfers or vendor ACH details.
One mid-sized practice with 12 staff was locked out of its tax server for two days after an employee clicked a fake IRS link. The downtime alone created missed deadlines, client frustration and a mandatory disclosure review. This is the real-world risk most firms face: not “Hollywood hacking,” but simple, targeted phishing that slips through because employees are rushed and systems aren’t monitored.
Compliance Consequences When Controls Are Weak
Regulators expect accounting firms to meet a baseline level of cybersecurity. Even a small firm is responsible for protecting client data under:
- IRS Publication 4557 requires a Written Information Security Plan (WISP), access controls, encryption, secure remote work and breach response procedures.
- FTC Safeguards Rule applies to any firm handling financial information and requires risk assessments, monitoring, employee training and incident response.
- SOC 2, while not mandatory for firms themselves, it’s the standard used to evaluate vendors handling your data. If your hosting or IT provider isn’t SOC 2 audited, you inherit their risk.
Failure to meet these expectations can trigger inquiries, EFIN suspension reviews or insurance claim disputes after an incident. Most firms don’t fully realize this until they receive an IRS letter asking for proof of their security program — something no partner wants to scramble to assemble during tax season.
The Minimum Viable Cybersecurity Stack Every Accounting Firm Needs
Most partners don’t need a 200-page security framework. They need a clear, minimum set of controls that protect client data, satisfy IRS and FTC expectations and keep staff productive without adding friction.
The following steps outline the baseline every small to mid-size accounting or CPA firm should have in place. Nothing here is optional if you store tax data, handle payroll files or run QuickBooks and tax software in a multi-user environment.
Step 1: Inventory Every System, User and Access Point
Cybersecurity starts with visibility. You can’t protect what you can’t see.
For a typical accounting firm, the full list includes:
- Workstations, laptops and home devices
- Staff email accounts
- Tax software (Lacerte, UltraTax, Drake, ProSeries, CCH Axcess, etc.)
- QuickBooks Desktop files or hosted QuickBooks environments
- Client portals and document-sharing tools
- Remote desktops and VPNs
- Local servers or cloud hosting environments
- Third-party integrations (payroll, banks, financial planning tools)
Most breaches happen because something is left unmanaged. A staff member’s home laptop, an outdated server or a forgotten email account can become the entry point for ransomware.
If you want a more formal walkthrough, explore the step by step cybersecurity audit checklist for small accounting firms, which includes risk scoring and IRS/FTC mapping.
Step 2: Lock Down Identity and Access
Attackers don’t “hack systems.” They log in with stolen credentials.
Every accounting firm should require:
- Multi-factor authentication for all apps, email, remote access and hosting
- Password managers for all staff
- Unique login credentials for each employee
- Immediate offboarding the moment an employee leaves
- Administrator access granted only to those who truly need it
This aligns directly with IRS 4557 identity protection expectations and is one of the fastest ways to stop unauthorized access.
Step 3: Secure Every Endpoint (Firm Devices and Home Devices)
Endpoints are the weak link in most firms, especially when staff work remotely.
Minimum controls include:
- Updated anti-malware
- Endpoint detection and response (EDR)
- Automatic patch installation
- Policy blocking risky apps or unknown software
- Full disk encryption on laptops
Unmanaged or outdated devices can violate FTC Safeguards requirements, even if everything else is configured correctly.
Step 4: Strengthen Email Security
Email is the number one attack vector for accountants.
Your firm must have:
- Advanced phishing protection
- Fraud flagging on suspicious emails
- Protection against Business Email Compromise (BEC)
- Correctly configured SPF, DKIM and DMARC
- Alerts for login attempts from new locations
Most IRS-themed and bank-themed attacks succeed because firms lack email authentication controls or because junior staff are rushing.
Step 5: Encrypt All Data and Secure Backups
Data should be unreadable to anyone who doesn’t have permission.
That means:
- Encryption at rest (files, backups, servers)
- Encryption in transit (when staff access tax apps remotely)
- Isolated, offsite backups
- Versioning to roll back after ransomware
- Regular backup testing
If you want a clearer explanation of how encryption, MFA and backups work in practice for CPAs, see the plain language guide to cloud hosting security for accounting firms.
Step 6: Standardize Remote Work and Multi-Location Controls
Most firms today have at least one staff member working remotely. If remote access isn’t secured, the entire firm is exposed.
Your setup should include:
- VPN or secure private network access
- Device restrictions (no personal devices for tax work)
- Conditional access based on geography or risk
- Enforced MFA on all remote tools
You can explore more in online cybersecurity essentials for multi location accounting firms, which breaks down distributed team risks in detail.
Step 7: Create a Simple, Practical WISP
A Written Information Security Plan (WISP) is required under IRS 4557 and the FTC Safeguards Rule. It doesn’t need to be complicated. It needs to be accurate.
Your WISP should include:
- How you control access
- How you protect data
- How you detect and monitor threats
- Your incident response process
- Your backup and recovery plan
- How frequently you review and update the plan
Most firms either over-engineer or avoid the WISP entirely, which causes problems during IRS or insurance reviews.
Step 8: Build a Basic Incident Response Plan
Incidents don’t care about your deadlines. Your response plan should define:
- Who makes decisions
- How systems are isolated
- Who you notify first
- How you verify backups
- What you must document for IRS/FTC review
- Who communicates with clients
Cyber insurance carriers now ask for this during renewal. Lacking a plan can delay payouts.
How Fragmented IT Creates Cybersecurity Gaps
Most accounting firms don’t get breached because attackers outsmart advanced systems. They get breached because responsibility is scattered across too many vendors, none of whom see the full picture. Hosting is done by one provider, IT support by another, cybersecurity tools by a third, and documentation (if it exists) lives in a Word file no one has opened since last tax season.
Fragmentation is the silent threat: every vendor secures their piece, but no one secures the whole system.
The Common Setup Most Firms Use (And Why It Fails)
A typical small to mid-size CPA firm operates like this:
- Hosting provider manages servers but not staff devices
- An IT freelancer handles laptops but not tax application security
- A third-party tool handles antivirus but isn’t integrated with backups
- Email is hosted elsewhere
- No unified monitoring between systems
- No single source of truth for compliance
This setup creates “grey zones” where no one is responsible. Those grey zones are where breaches happen.
Examples:
- MFA is enabled for your hosting platform but not for email, so attackers get in through inboxes.
- Laptops have antivirus, but patches aren’t applied consistently, leaving unpatched exploits open.
- Backups exist, but no one tests them. And you discover this only after ransomware hits.
- Old user accounts stay active because HR forgets to notify the IT contractor.
Individually, these problems look small. Together, they create an environment where a single phishing attack can take down your entire practice.
A Real-World Gap That Causes Most Breaches
Picture this scenario: Your hosting vendor enables MFA for your tax applications. Good. But your email provider doesn’t enforce MFA, and your IT freelancer didn’t configure it.
An employee receives an IRS-style phishing email, clicks a link and enters their email password.
An attacker now has full access to inboxes, client files, portal links and banking documents.
They use that access to reset passwords for tax software and QuickBooks.
By the time you react, they’ve sent fraudulent emails to clients and locked you out of critical systems.
Everything broke not because a single vendor failed, but because no one owned the full chain of security.
This is the structural weakness of fragmented IT. Each vendor assumes someone else is securing the gap.
Before & After: Fragmented IT vs Unified IT (Verito Model)
| Area | Fragmented IT (Before) | Unified Hosting + IT + Cybersecurity (After) |
| Security Coverage | Each vendor secures only their piece; gaps between hosting, devices, email and backups. | End-to-end security across hosting, devices, email, backups and monitoring under one coordinated system. |
| Access Control | MFA enforced on some systems, ignored on others; outdated accounts remain active. | One unified access policy applied everywhere with MFA, device restrictions and immediate offboarding. |
| Uptime & Performance | Hosting provider blames IT; IT blames the software; no one owns root-cause issues. | Dedicated private servers with 100 percent uptime and a single team responsible for stability. |
| Compliance Alignment (IRS 4557 / FTC) | WISP inconsistent with actual practices; documentation scattered; controls vary by vendor. | Centralized compliance mapping with WISP, backups, monitoring and remote access aligned under one framework. |
| Incident Response | Slow, confusing and finger-pointing; multiple vendors need to coordinate before action. | One team responds instantly with full visibility across hosting, devices and applications. |
| Backup Reliability | Backups exist but are rarely tested; stored differently across vendors. | Encrypted, isolated, regularly tested backups fully integrated with hosting and recovery systems. |
| Staff Onboarding & Offboarding | New users created inconsistently; former employees retain access longer than intended. | Single workflow for granting and removing access across all systems simultaneously. |
| Monitoring & Detection | No unified monitoring; each vendor has partial logs. Attacks go unnoticed for hours or days. | Continuous 24/7 monitoring across infrastructure, endpoints and login activity with immediate alerts. |
| Accountant Workflow Support | Generic IT providers unfamiliar with QuickBooks, tax apps and busy-season spikes. | Specialized support optimized for accounting workflows, large QuickBooks files and tax software performance. |
| Partner Workload | Partners spend time coordinating support, resolving conflicts and trying to interpret tech jargon. | Partners focus entirely on client work while a single specialist team handles hosting, IT and cybersecurity. |
Why Unified Hosting + Managed IT + Cybersecurity Is the Safer Option
Fragmented systems create blind spots. A unified environment eliminates them. When hosting, IT management and cybersecurity operate as one integrated system, every control reinforces the next. No gaps, no handoffs, no assumptions.
For accounting firms that handle sensitive tax data, this unified model isn’t a luxury. It’s the only architecture that consistently protects client confidentiality, satisfies IRS and FTC expectations and keeps your team productive during peak deadlines.
The Plain-Language Case for a Unified Approach
In a unified model, every component (user access, hosting, backups, email security, endpoint protection, monitoring) lives under one coordinated framework. That means:
- The same team manages hosting, devices, email and security tools
- MFA, password policies and access controls apply everywhere
- Backups, updates and patches are synchronized
- Issues are diagnosed faster because one provider can see the entire environment
- Compliance mapping stays consistent across all systems
- Risk isn’t multiplied by vendor miscommunication
Instead of trying to stitch together multiple vendors, you operate a secure, consistent environment that doesn’t rely on each provider interpreting “security” in their own way.
The biggest advantage for partners: predictability. You’re no longer hoping that everyone is doing their part. You know they are, because they’re one team.
How Verito Implements Unified Protection
This is where specialization matters.
Verito provides cloud hosting, managed IT and cybersecurity designed exclusively for accounting and tax firms. Unlike generic IT vendors, Verito operates dedicated private servers, continuous monitoring and integrated support across your entire accounting tech stack, including QuickBooks and tax applications.
Verito’s unified security model includes:
- Dedicated private servers that eliminate the noisy-neighbor problem and isolate each firm’s environment
- 24/7 monitoring across hosting, devices and applications
- Integrated MFA, access controls and encryption across all systems
- Endpoint management (patching, updates, malware protection) handled centrally
- Backups, disaster recovery and uptime management built into the hosting layer
- VeritShield WISP support to help firms stay aligned with IRS 4557, FTC Safeguards and SOC 2 expectations
- Bank-level security combined with predictable performance during peak tax season
This alignment matters because accounting firms don’t just need “IT.” They need systems that protect QuickBooks files, tax software databases, client portals and years of archived returns without downtime or compliance risk.
Why This Matters for Managing Partners
When your hosting, IT and cybersecurity are unified:
- There are no conflicting settings between providers
- Staff onboarding and offboarding becomes simple and secure
- Monitoring becomes continuous instead of reactive
- Compliance documentation becomes accurate and defensible
- Downtime drops, especially during January–April
- You avoid finger-pointing when something goes wrong
- Your firm reduces legal, financial and regulatory exposure
More than 1,000 accounting and tax firms trust Verito to unify their hosting, cybersecurity and IT support so there are no gaps between providers. A unified model doesn’t just reduce risk, it lets partners operate without the constant fear of a breach or IRS inquiry.
Step by Step: How an Accounting Firm Can Implement Cybersecurity in 30 Days
This 30-day plan is built for small and mid-size accounting firms that want a realistic path to protection (not a theoretical checklist). Each week focuses on actions that directly reduce risk, strengthen compliance and improve operational stability during tax season.
Week 1: Assess and Prioritize the Real Gaps
Start by understanding your current risk. Most firms discover that their biggest vulnerabilities aren’t sophisticated. In fact, they’re simple misconfigurations, old devices, weak email security or inconsistent access controls.
In Week 1, focus on:
- Listing every system, device and user
- Reviewing MFA usage across email, hosting and tax apps
- Checking whether backups exist and when they were last tested
- Identifying any unsupported or unmanaged devices
- Reviewing admin access. Ask who has more access than they need?
- Outlining where your WISP is outdated or incomplete
If you prefer experts to perform this analysis for you, you can book a free cybersecurity audit for tax and accounting firms to get a risk score, gap analysis and practical recommendations aligned to IRS and FTC requirements.
Week 2: Implement Quick Wins That Immediately Reduce Risk
Most firms can reduce their attack surface dramatically within days by tightening identity, endpoint and email controls.
Your Week 2 actions:
- Enforce multi-factor authentication on email, hosting and portals
- Deploy endpoint protection (EDR) to all firm-owned devices
- Set up automatic patching and updates
- Enable encryption for all laptops and local data
- Configure phishing detection and email fraud protection
- Replace spreadsheet passwords with a password manager
- Deactivate old or unused user accounts
These changes alone block the majority of phishing-based breaches and unauthorized access attempts.
Week 3: Align With Compliance Requirements and Document Everything
Now focus on the foundational compliance work that IRS Publication 4557 and the FTC Safeguards Rule expect.
Your Week 3 priorities:
- Create or update your Written Information Security Plan
- Document staff access levels and admin rights
- Draft or refine your incident response plan
- Ensure backups are encrypted, isolated and tested
- Configure basic monitoring for suspicious logins or system changes
- Standardize secure remote access (VPN or private access)
- Review cyber insurance policy requirements
Many firms skip documentation, which becomes a problem when they receive an IRS security notice or an insurance carrier asks for evidence after an incident.
Week 4: Build Long-Term Stability With Unified Systems
This final week focuses on futureproofing your environment so security becomes an ongoing practice rather than a one-time project.
Week 4 checklist:
- Standardize IT policies for devices, passwords and remote work
- Consolidate vendors or migrate to a unified hosting + IT + cybersecurity model
- Set up continuous monitoring across hosting, email and devices
- Implement a recurring staff security awareness routine
- Schedule quarterly internal reviews of your WISP and backups
- Review whether your tax and accounting software workflows are fully secured
- Confirm your cyber insurance still matches your risk profile
If your firm is currently juggling multiple vendors, this is the stage where consolidating under a specialist provider prevents long-term gaps and reduces the operational burden on partners.
Verito is a cloud hosting and managed IT provider built specifically for accounting and tax firms. It combines dedicated private servers, 24/7 security monitoring and hands-on IT support so practices can keep QuickBooks and tax applications running with 100 percent uptime while staying aligned with IRS and FTC cybersecurity expectations. This unified model protects client data, eliminates the gaps created by multiple vendors and gives partners a stable, secure environment that supports busy-season workloads without downtime.
Should You Fix Cybersecurity Internally or Use a Specialist?
Every accounting firm eventually hits the same question: “Should we try to manage all of this ourselves, or should we work with a provider that already specializes in cybersecurity for accounting firms?”
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on your firm’s size, complexity, technical comfort and tolerance for risk. The goal is not to outsource blindly. It’s to understand which model gives you the highest level of protection with the least operational burden.
When an In-House Approach Can Work
Some firms genuinely can manage cybersecurity internally. This is usually true when:
- You are a very small practice with extremely limited software sprawl
- All staff work from a single location
- Every computer is owned, managed and configured by the firm
- You have no remote workers or complicated login environment
- Your workflow relies mostly on email + QuickBooks + one tax application
- Someone on staff is reasonably comfortable with IT setups and updates
This setup still requires MFA, endpoint protection, encrypted backups and a WISP, but the complexity remains low enough to manage internally (provided you stay disciplined).
When You Need a Provider Like Verito
For most small to mid-size firms, internal management breaks down once the environment becomes distributed. You need a specialist when:
- You have multiple offices or remote employees
- Staff use a mix of desktops, laptops and home devices
- You run multiple tax applications or large QuickBooks files
- You rely on hosted environments or remote desktops
- You have experienced downtime, malware or phishing incidents
- Your WISP or Safeguards documentation has not been updated annually
- You feel uncertain about IRS 4557 or FTC Safeguards compliance
- Your IT vendor is generic and not familiar with accounting workflows
When your infrastructure spans locations, devices and cloud systems, cybersecurity becomes a continuous process (not something you “set up once.”) That’s where specialization matters.
How to Evaluate Potential Providers
Partners often struggle to benchmark cybersecurity vendors because every sales pitch sounds similar. Here are the non-negotiable questions:
- Are you SOC 2 Type II audited?
(If not, they should not be hosting your client data.) - Do you provide 24/7 monitoring across hosting, devices and email?
- Do you operate dedicated private servers or shared virtual machines?
- Do you support QuickBooks, Lacerte, Drake, UltraTax, CCH and other tax apps natively?
- Do you enforce encryption, MFA and endpoint protection across the entire environment?
- Do you handle patching, backups, disaster recovery and access control as one system?
- Do you help firms align with IRS Publication 4557, the FTC Safeguards Rule and cyber insurance requirements?
If a provider cannot answer yes to all these points, they are not built for accounting firms.
For a more IT-focused breakdown, you can also see 5 essential IT services every accounting firm needs, which maps out the core technical support functions your provider should cover.
The Cost of Doing Nothing
Most firms don’t feel the impact of weak cybersecurity until it’s too late. The consequences aren’t hypothetical, they show up in day-to-day operations, client trust and regulatory exposure.
- Lost billable hours: A ransomware incident or server outage during February or March can wipe out days of productivity. Even a few hours of downtime costs far more than any security investment.
- Deadline chaos and penalties: If staff lose access to tax applications or QuickBooks files, the firm risks missed filings, amended returns and credibility issues with clients.
- Mandatory disclosures: A breach involving taxpayer information can trigger notifications to clients, financial institutions and in some cases state regulators. This often becomes public record.
- Insurance denials: Cyber insurance carriers routinely deny claims when MFA, patching or monitoring were missing (even if the firm had coverage).
- Client churn: Clients rarely forgive a security incident. Losing even two or three business clients can erase months of revenue.
- EFIN risk: The IRS can review or suspend your EFIN if your firm can’t demonstrate a security program aligned with IRS 4557.
Doing nothing doesn’t maintain the status quo. It creates silent risk that grows with every new client file, every remote login and every unmonitored device in your environment.
FAQs
What does cybersecurity for accounting firms include?
It covers the tools, policies and monitoring required to protect client financial data across email, devices, hosting, tax applications and staff access. For most firms, this means MFA everywhere, secure hosting, endpoint protection, encrypted backups, phishing defenses, a WISP, and continuous monitoring.
What is the minimum cybersecurity requirement for CPA firms?
The baseline is defined by IRS Publication 4557 and the FTC Safeguards Rule. At minimum, firms must have MFA, access control, encryption, documented policies, a WISP, employee training, risk assessments, secure backups and a defined incident response plan. Even very small firms must comply.
What does IRS Publication 4557 expect from small accounting firms?
It requires firms to protect taxpayer information through identity controls, secure remote access, encryption, monitoring, data disposal, breach response procedures and regular updates to a Written Information Security Plan. IRS auditors often ask firms to produce this documentation after an incident.
What does the FTC Safeguards Rule require for tax professionals?
The rule requires firms that handle financial information to maintain a written security program, monitor systems, encrypt data, authenticate users, manage vendors, train employees, test backups and designate someone responsible for security oversight. Even firms with fewer than 10 employees must comply.
How do I build a WISP for my CPA firm?
A WISP is a written document detailing how your firm protects client information. It should explain access controls, encryption, device policies, remote work rules, backups, monitoring, breach response and review cycles. VeritShield WISP from Verito helps firms align this with IRS and FTC requirements.
How often should an accounting firm run a cybersecurity audit?
At least once per year, and ideally before each tax season. Many firms only discover gaps (MFA inconsistencies, unpatched systems, broken backups) after an incident. A yearly audit ensures your controls match IRS 4557 and cyber insurance expectations.
Is cloud hosting secure for QuickBooks and tax applications?
Yes, provided your provider uses dedicated private servers, SOC 2 controls, encryption and continuous monitoring. Shared or generic hosting environments introduce risk. For a deeper explanation, see the security layers of QuickBooks cloud hosting, which breaks down how app-level security works.
What is endpoint protection in accounting firm cybersecurity?
Endpoint protection secures the laptops, desktops and remote devices your staff use every day. It includes anti-malware, patch management, device encryption and tools that detect suspicious behavior. Most breaches occur because one unprotected device is compromised.
How can multi-location CPA firms secure remote workers?
The essentials include VPN or private access, MFA, device management, conditional access policies, encrypted laptops and standardized workflows. Distributed teams should also have unified monitoring to avoid blind spots. More guidance is available in online cybersecurity essentials for multi location accounting firms.
What should I look for in a managed IT provider for accounting firms?
Look for SOC 2 audits, 24/7 monitoring, dedicated servers, integrated security controls, knowledge of accounting software, unified hosting + IT + cybersecurity services and experience aligning firms with IRS and FTC requirements. For a more detailed comparison, review 5 essential IT services every accounting firm needs.
Conclusion
Cybersecurity is no longer a “nice to have” for accounting firms. It is a mandatory part of protecting client trust, staying compliant with IRS and FTC expectations and ensuring your team can work without fear of a breach during the busiest months of the year. Most attacks on CPA firms are simple such as phishing emails, stolen passwords, unpatched devices or misconfigured remote access. But they succeed because firms rely on fragmented systems and assume each vendor is covering their part.
By following the steps in this guide, you’ve already covered the foundations: securing identity, devices, email, backups, remote access, WISP documentation and incident response. You’ve seen how fragmented IT introduces blind spots and why a unified model provides the one thing every managing partner wants: a predictable, secure environment that “just works.”
Verito provides cloud hosting, managed IT and cybersecurity designed exclusively for accounting and tax firms. Dedicated private servers, 24/7 monitoring, integrated MFA, encrypted backups and hands-on IT support give firms a complete, aligned system instead of disconnected tools. More than 1,000 firms rely on Verito to unify their hosting, security and support so there are no gaps between providers.
If you want clarity on your current risk level, the fastest next step is to book a free cybersecurity audit for tax and accounting firms. You’ll receive a risk score, a gap analysis and a step-by-step action plan mapped directly to IRS Publication 4557 and the FTC Safeguards Rule — all in plain language, with specialists who work only with accounting firms.
Your firm doesn’t need to guess what’s secure and what’s not. This guide gives you the blueprint. The audit gives you a personalized roadmap. Together, they provide the confidence that your systems, client data and staff are protected every day, not just during tax season.
