Information security & privacy

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A Better Way to Gauge Profitability

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Return-on-equity (ROE) is the correct profit metric to evaluate the performance of a business. However, the primary emphasis on financial ratio analysis must be on operating performance. The “advanced” version of the DuPont model remedies the original model’s failure to cleanly separate the effects of operating and financing...

TOPICS / TECHNOLOGY

February 16, 2016

Internal auditors challenged by cybersecurity, data quality

Many internal audit departments are short on cybersecurity expertise and lack involvement in evaluating the quality of the data used in their organizations, according to a new survey.

February 10, 2016

IRS suffers another data breach

The IRS revealed that it discovered and stopped an automated cyberattack on its e-filing personal identification number (PIN) system last month.

February 1, 2016

Cybersecurity: Unknown Google device

How to remove devices from your Google account.

November 1, 2015

Electronic payments: Credit cards getting smarter

In an effort to combat credit card fraud, the U.S. credit card industry has adopted the EMV credit card standards.

September 1, 2015

Online accounting systems: Accounting for cloud security

Q: Can you recommend some good, low-cost, cloud-based accounting systems?

September 1, 2015

Resolving the theft of tax clients’ identity

CPAs in tax practice have seen an increase in identity theft. Here are some tips for dealing
with this vexing problem.

August 17, 2015

Get Transcript data breach more than three times as big, IRS announces

The IRS alerted the public that an additional 220,000 taxpayers had their tax return information compromised in the Get Transcript database breach it announced in May.

August 1, 2015

Wi-Fi: Stopping illegal access

A little-known trick makes it easy for unscrupulous people to circumvent your sign-on/payment webpage and use your internet connection without paying the required access fee.

June 12, 2015

Tax industry and IRS team up to fight identity theft refund fraud

the IRS announced that it agreed to partner with a number of tax preparation firms, state tax administrators, and other interested parties to fight identity theft refund fraud.

June 2, 2015

Expanded IRS online services put taxpayer information at risk, Senate committee told

IRS Commissioner John Koskinen revealed more details about the theft of 100,000 taxpayers’ data through the Get Transcript system.

June 1, 2015

Experts warn of cybersecurity ‘storm’: Technology round table, part 2

In the second of two parts, the tone at the fourth annual JofA accounting technology round table turns tense as the experts discuss the cybersecurity vulnerabilities they see in the accounting profession.

May 26, 2015

Thieves access IRS Get Transcript app, 100,000 accounts compromised

The criminals attempted to hack as many as 200,000 accounts. The IRS is notifying affected taxpayers and has launched a criminal investigation.

May 15, 2015

Cyber concerns show no signs of cooling off, former Homeland Security chief says

The digital sun will never set, which means that digital threats to business and government will only grow in the future, Tom Ridge said Friday.

April 21, 2015

As cyberbreaches rise, consumers alter spending, browsing habits

The percentage of Americans who have fallen prey to an information security breach has risen to 25% from 11% the previous year, a new AICPA survey found.

April 16, 2015

CPAs select security as top technology priority

A steady stream of high-profile cybercrimes involving corporate and customer data has captured the attention of North American accounting professionals, who ranked IT security as their top technology priority.

April 13, 2015

Unforgettable passwords

What are the minimum criteria for creating a strong password?

March 1, 2015

Free backup gets easier

Windows 8/8.1 includes a new backup solution called File History. Here’s how to set it up.

March 1, 2015

How small businesses can keep data secure

Lisa Traina, CPA/CITP, CGMA, president and owner of information technology security firm Traina & Associates, suggests ways for organizations with limited IT budgets to keep their data secure.

February 1, 2015