What can be said about security for your business that hasn’t been said before?

Not enough, apparently.

Or least the IRS thinks the topic is still extremely relevant. The 8th annual National Tax Security Awareness Week takes place Nov. 27 – Dec. 1. This annual campaign is hosted by the Security Summit, a coalition of IRS, state tax administrators, tax software companies, the tax professional community and others in the larger tax community. The group formed in 2015 to combat tax-related identity theft through better public-private sector coordination, as well as strengthening internal protections and raising awareness about security threats.

Any time of the year is a great time to assess your company’s security processes and protocols to ensure your keeping your data safe and away from bad actors. Here’s a list of some simple security measure you can take that could prevent a crisis if they aren’t followed.

Control Roles and Permissions in QuickBooks Online Advanced

At some point, all or some of your employees will need access to QuickBooks Online if they are in a managerial or fiduciary role, but what you want to avoid is giving everyone access if they do not need it. To do this would create a possible security risk.

One of the great features in QuickBooks Online Advanced is the ability to manage custom roles. Custom roles let you to assign detailed permissions to different areas of QuickBooks that define:

• What features a user can access in QuickBooks.

• What actions they can perform within those features, such as view only, create, edit, delete, approve, and all access.

• What data restrictions apply on their access, such as restricting sales data by location.

Certum Solutions can help you set up custom roles and guide you through the process. Contact us today about that.

Hold Semi-Annual Security Meetings

To talk about creating security is one thing, but to meet and show employees how they can become a part of the solution is another thing altogether. One thing you can try is to hold semi-annual security meetings—or maybe more often if you feel it’s necessary.

For example, pick a security topic to discuss over a a brown bag lunch or catered event. You could talk about a range of areas, from creating unique passwords and where to store them, to leaving a workstation open and unattended if someone goes to lunch or is in a meeting. 

Ask your employees what kinds of security topics they want to explore; chances are you’ll get a lot of different kinds of feedback. In some cases, you may even want to bring in an outside speaker to cover a topic. Think creatively to get the point across!

Remote Workers Should Use a VPN

We’re past the pandemic, but working remotely is still a thing and likely not to go away any time soon.

If you’re not using a virtual private network (VPN) for employees to connect to, then your company information is vulnerable to hackers. In fact, wardriving is a real thing in which a hacker can drive by any residence and tap into the home network if there isn’t an effective password on the system.

A VPN takes care of this, and there a lot of vendors to choose from if your company does not have an enterprise vendor. Take a look at this article in PCMag.

Be a Security Watchdog

Finally, one of the best things you and your employees can do is become security watchdogs.

Instead, ask employees to remain acutely aware of all-things security around them. If they see someone in your building who looks like they may not belong there, say something. If you see an employee sharing a password with someone else—whether they are a fellow employee or outside the organization—speak up.

You’re not tattling on someone else; you’ll ensuring that the company is secure at all times. There’s a fine line between placing the blame on others and speaking up about a topic that affects everyone.

Call on Certum Solutions 

As we roll through the end of the year into 2024, security is everyone’s concern. Stay aware and be alert! Contact us and let us know how we can help.