Seems like it never fails and is getting worse. Every year businesses are under increased cybersecurity threats especially during tax season. No matter the size, companies are at risk of losing vital data and potential exposure of financial loss. Here are three things you need to keep in mind this tax season.
#1. Phishing Attempts
Phishing is a cybercrime in which a target or targets are contacted by email, telephone or text message by someone posing as a legitimate institution to lure individuals into providing sensitive data such as personally identifiable information, banking and credit card details, and passwords.
The information is then used to access important accounts and can result in identity theft and financial loss.
An unexpected, critical e-mail should put you and your employees on high alert. Pick up the phone and call that individual or organization if you feel something is not kosher. Most trusted parties will not request sensitive data via e-mail; however, links within emails that can lead to untrusted websites. Watch out for those as well. Most e-mail providers allow you to hover over a link before clicking, so check for irregular domains and URL shorteners.
#2 Contact from IRS Agents
The IRS will only contact you by U.S. mail! Cyber criminals may attempt to disguise themselves as IRS agents in order to obtain compromising information about your business and employees. Often, an “agent” will ask for additional information that is unnecessary for filing purposes but holds tremendous value to them like social security numbers, telephone numbers, and addresses. Let me state this again: The IRS will only contact you by U.S. mail!
#3. Internal Actors
The nature of many companies’ work requires individuals other than the proprietor to access critical information. You need to make these employees aware of communication procedures and safeguards to prevent cybercrimes from occurring in the first place. A majority of cyber incidents are caused by people that are unware of threats. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Year-Round Attention
Ruese Insurance Group offers both commercial and personal CyberSecurity policies and is happy to work up a quote for you. Stay vigilant year-round, just because taxes have been filed does not mean the end of cybersecurity threats.
To learn more about Cyber Crime and Security and how to insure for it, visit www.rueseinsurancegroup.com .
Or call one of our experts directly:
Matt Ratermann, McColloch-Baker Insurance 937.773.5626
Josh Ross, Ruese Insurance, 937.498.4586
Nate Barhorst, Ratermann Insurance Group, 937.295.2131
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