How To Address Security Concerns When Outsourcing Accounting Data

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How To Address Security Concerns When Outsourcing
Accounting Data
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• While outsourcing can give peace of mind and
  convenience to busy accounting firms, its
  understandable that they might also experience
  some concerns over data security, as anyone
  responsible would when working with a third
  party, particularly in the financial sector.
  Sadly, and somewhat worryingly, breaches of data
  continue to take place at an alarming rate, with
  small and medium sized businesses falling victim,
  too.
• So, if youre concerned about sharing either your
  own, or your clients financial information with a
  third party accounting and bookkeeping provider,
  here are a couple of strategies to try andbetter
  protect your data

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• Carry out audits of your own internal security
  controls
• How can you expect your outsourcing partner to
  prioritize security if you dont?Carry out
  regular, routine checks of the way in which you
  generate, collect and store data, to ensure a
  leak from inadequate controls can never happen.
  Whether there are poor controls over employee
  access to sensitive or confidential information,
  or access is being granted to records by business
  partners or vendors that simply dont need it in
  terms of maintaining their relationship with your
  business.

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• Remember that no company is too small to be
  targeted by fraudsters and hackers, and if you
  hold any personal information such as bank
  account numbers, passwords and social security
  numbers in your accounting files whether
  related to your own staff, executives, or your
  clients you could fall victim to a security
  breach.
• Wherever possible, only collect, share and store
  information in your records that is essential to
  your business, and be sure only to work with
  reputable and experienced outsourcing partners.
  They should have their own gateways for
  monitoring databases, and firewalls installed to
  help make systems less vulnerable to
  exploitation, but double checking is always worth
  it. you can read more about this in the strategy
  outlined below.

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• Research your outsourced partners security
  practices
• Just because an outsourced accounting provider
  has never been the victim of a security breach,
  doesnt mean that its 100 safe. Find out
  exactly what data security measures they are
  following, and ask for written proof of everyhtig
  related to their physical security, management of
  data, and practices for disposing of records.
• Below is a more detailed description of how
  exactly to go about checking the data protection
  measures of an outsourced accounting and
  bookkeeping partner

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• Security measures for physical or remote access
  facilities
• All points of access to data must be secured, and
  measures should include the placing of
  restrictions on access to remote setups,
  management of data entry and exit points, access
  should be restricted with the help of user-level
  permissions. While printed data might not be an
  issue for modern outsourcing firms who typically
  operate in the cloud, such systems and remote
  access to it, must be prioritized in terms of
  security.

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• Employee security
• Outsourced agencies must be able to demonstrate
  the methods by which they screen and recruit
  employees, especially if any of them are likely
  to be accessing your companys files. Extensive
  background screening checks should take place for
  each and every employee, and to remain compliant
  with all regulations and requirements, such
  checks should be reviewed on a regular basis.
  And, as and when technologies and strategies
  related to data security are updated, all
  employees should receive adequate training on the
  same.

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• Computer networks and systems
• Every data server must be situated in a facility
  that is ultra-secure, and which has proper
  systems in place for monitoring activity. Every
  computer and every critical process must be put
  through a number of user authentication layers,
  and every external portal for storage, such as
  DVD, USB, and CD drives, must be disable to stop
  clients data from being downloaded without
  authorization. Lastly, but by no means least, the
  agency must have a sufficient plan in place for
  the recovery of data should an unexpected
  interruption take place.

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• Outsourcing your accounting and bookkeeping
  requirements is typically totally safe, provided
  you work with a firm who prioritize data safety,
  who are willing to share their security measures
  with you, and who take all of your concerns
  regarding data security seriously.
• Super Accountants offers expert tax preparation
  and bookkeeping outsourcing services for
  accounting firms. Our services are designed to
  deliver meticulous attention to detail,
  consistent accuracy and peace of mind on
  security. Quite simply, when it has gone through
  the hands of SuperAccountants, you can be sure
  its been done right. If you are looking for
  outsourced bookkeeping for CPAs in the US, get
  started with SuperAccountants today and get the
  benefits straight away!