CPAs Are Well-Positioned to Help Clients Manage Cyber Security Risks

Since accountants, bookkeepers and CPAs have access to all of the financial records of their clients, this puts them in a unique position to be of assistance to their clients when it comes to cyber security issues. We talked about this in a previous blog post, Accountants First Concern is Keeping Clients' Data Secure.

Online security, or cyber security, as it is popularly known, is not something we have discussed on the Rules of Thumb blog, but today we will rectify that. This is a crucial issues, cyber security, and to help you assist yourself with your own online security precautions, and to assist your clients with theirs, we have found that the American Institute of CPAs has a great Cyber Security Resource Center. Today we will share some of the tools available through this resource center.

CPAs Are in a Unique Position to Help Clients with Cyber Security Risks

Below are just a few of the cyber security services an accountant or CPA can offer their clients:

• Assurance services: Increasingly, businesses, organizations and governmental entities are interested in evaluating the effectiveness of their cyber security risk management programs. CPAs can provide assurance on those programs to help instill confidence in an entity’s efforts to address cyber security risks.
• Advisory services: CPAs, especially those with a specialization in information technology, can share their expertise and best practices with clients, helping them address risks associated with cyber security.
• Protecting client and customer data: CPAs in public accounting and those working in the finance function within business and industry can provide valuable insights on how to safeguard client and customer information.

We noted that there is a free webinar on cyber security offered on the American Institute of CPAs website. Webcast - Advanced Concepts in Cybersecurity – July 21, 2016, 2-4pm ET. This may well be a webcast you, as a CPA, accountant or bookkeeper, should consider attending.

Also, to help you find your way around thise huge Cyber Security Resource Center, below is a breakdown of what you will find there:

Featured Resources - Access the latest cyber security resources and learning opportunities. Resources - These key resources can help you better understand cybersecurity issues and solutions. CPE and Events - Link to available cyber security learning opportunities. News and Articles - Read news about cyber security and how it affects businesses and clients. Other Related Resources - Find additional cyber security information through these related resources.

Your own online security and that of your clients is crucial, and unfortunately, as hackers become more sophisticated, will continue to rise. Take advantage of all these resources so that you can be the hero to your clients when it comes to keeping their financial information safe and secure.