Cyber and network security are now necessities for enterprises, particularly in the accounting sector. Hackers know that insecure systems holding crucial financial information might be easy targets as the number of cyberattacks rises. Accounting cyber security procedures ensure that your company secures confidential information for regulatory compliance and protects your clients, who have trusted you with their financial, personal, and business information.
Best practices for cyber security in accounting firms
You must first and foremost develop a cyber and network security plan for your business. Here’s a closer look at each element’s protection strategy and rationale.
The architecture and network perimeter
Your company’s networks, which link systems, individuals, and data, are its lifeline. Your network architecture must be set up, connected, and configured properly to ensure security and functionality. The risk and consequences of a cyberattack are lessened by next-generation firewalls that continuously monitor activities and promptly identify breaches.
Backup and restore
The best action is to have a backup strategy for your data, operating system, and applications. This strategy is wise in the case of a cyberattack and the case of a natural disaster to disrupt physical sites or harm servers. Data and information are saved in the cloud and frequently backed up thanks to a redundant backup strategy. In the event of a cyber-attack or any other problem, virtualization enables backups to be accessible in minutes. Your accounting firm requires a tested backup strategy in case data is compromised, especially during tax season. Additionally, regularly scheduled backups guarantee that minimal data is lost in the event of an incident.
Email encryption
More and more, business is conducted via email. Email is the main target of phishing attempts, in which hackers send phony emails frequently with a pressing request for action. Unknowing readers can launch a cyberattack by clicking on a link or an attached file, which embeds files in devices and networks that can subsequently be activated to steal data or bring down systems.
Make sure your IT team for network and cyber security teaches staff about email security and uses anti-malware, anti-phishing, anti-spam, and content filtering software to stop emails from reaching recipients’ inboxes.
Security codes and identification
Password security procedures should be quite strict at your accounting firm. Require employees to update their passwords frequently and use secure passwords containing upper- and lowercase letters, digits, and special characters. Rules for complexity and length should be followed strictly.
Users must typically provide a known factor, such as a password, and an unknown factor, such as a system-generated passcode, a Captcha, or a third-party verification tool, to use multi-factor authentication. Combining factors makes it considerably more difficult for hackers, for instance, to access your information systems with just stolen credentials. Additionally crucial is multi-factor authentication, which demands multiple forms of identification from a user before granting access to systems, applications, websites, and emails.
This content is meant for information only and should not be considered as advice or legal opinion, or otherwise. AKGVG & Associates does not intend to advertise its services through this.