According to the Government Accounting Office (GAO) the IRS is using some outdated computer software without updated security patches. This leaves US taxpayer information vulnerable to attacks from hackers and those who would engage in identify theft. Last year, the GAO raised almost 69 vulnerabilities in IRS systems, and the IRS reported that almost 1/3 of them had been fixed. Not so, says the GAO – only 14 have been addressed.
The GAO states that the IRS isn’t even following its own proceedures and guidelines for updating critical software and protecting sensitive taxpayer information. As a result, the GAO has listed the IRS has having “significant deficiency” in financial reporting systems. IRS commissioner John Koskinen tried to reassure US taxpayers that their private financial and personal information was safe. In the next sentence he complained to congress about the IRS’ aging systems and the lack of budget to fix them.
Vigilance is part of being a citizen in the year 2015. The IRS is just one of dozens of threats to your personal information security in this day and age. It is important to maintain close monitoring on all of your financial accounts and associated information to protect against identify theft and the mis-application of your own financial information.
