IT Support and Cybersecurity for CPA and Tax Firms on the Treasure Coast

• Installs and annual updates. Workstation setup, yearly tax software installs and updates, and the network and permissions behind shared data, scheduled so they are ready before the season starts.
• Multi-factor authentication everywhere it matters. On email, remote access, and the cloud tools that support it, which is one of the first controls insurers and the FTC Safeguards Rule look for.
• Email security. Advanced filtering and phishing protection, alerts on suspicious mailbox rules, and email encryption on Helios and Cronus plans for sending client information.
• Security awareness training. Phishing simulations and short training so staff check fake client requests, refund and payment changes, and "urgent" document links before acting.
• Backup and tested recovery. Image-based backup of servers and key workstations, separate backup of Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, and restores we actually test and record.
• Access control and offboarding. Access sized to each role, including seasonal staff, and prompt removal when someone leaves.
• Secure remote work. Managed devices and properly configured remote access for partners and staff working from home during the season.
• Vulnerability and penetration testing. Available as quoted work for firms that want an outside view of how their network holds up.

The FTC Safeguards Rule treats tax preparers and many accounting firms as financial institutions, so they are expected to keep a written information security program with safeguards such as risk assessment, access control, encryption, and multi-factor authentication. The IRS points tax professionals to Publication 4557 and Publication 5708 for building a written information security plan, often called a WISP.

Here is where we fit. We help create the technical documentation for your WISP: what safeguards are in place, how backups and restores are tested, who has access to what, and how devices are managed and retired. That way the plan describes what your firm actually does, not a template nobody follows.

What we do not do is run your program for you. Your firm owns its WISP, its policies, and the decisions in it. We do not give legal or tax advice, and we do not certify compliance. Your firm and its advisors should review the plan and confirm how the rules apply to you.

If a breach does happen, timelines are short. The Safeguards Rule now includes an FTC notification requirement for certain breaches, and Florida law adds a 30-day notice requirement for many breaches of personal information. Our article on Florida data breach law for small businesses covers the Florida side.

Business email compromise hits tax firms in two ways: a criminal pretends to be a client asking for a copy of a return or a change to a refund account, or pretends to be the firm to trick clients into sending documents. We reduce that risk with MFA, email protection, sign-in monitoring, and training. The most important control is still a simple habit: confirm any change to payment or bank details by phone at a number you already have on file. Learn more in What is business email compromise?

We plan around your calendar. Major changes, migrations, and hardware replacements happen before January or after the April and October deadlines when possible. During the season, we keep maintenance outside working hours and keep the focus on uptime.

Our Stuart office at 900 SE Ocean Blvd, Suite 130D, is open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM Eastern, and our help desk is staffed during those hours on every plan. Most issues are solved remotely. When a visit is the right call, our technicians come to you anywhere across the Treasure Coast and northern Palm Beach County. On Atlas, Hyperion, and Helios, onsite visits are scheduled as needed and billed as written in your agreement. Cronus adds priority onsite response and 24/7 help desk coverage under the plan agreement, which helps firms that work late in season.

Most accounting and tax firms fit Helios or Cronus, because those plans include email encryption, phishing training, compliance readiness support and reporting, and quarterly reviews. Hyperion and above include vendor management, which is where our software vendor liaison work lives. See every plan and starting price on our managed service plans page.

Start with an IT assessment. We will look at your computers, network, accounts, backups, and security, recommend the plan that fits, and put the price in writing.

Schedule a Consultation or call 772-279-6180. You can also see managed service plans.