IRS Still Lacks Protections for Sensitive Taxpayer Information

The Internal Revenue Service has failed to implement a series of reforms aimed at bolstering its protection of sensitive taxpayer information, leaving the agency's computer systems vulnerable to unauthorized access that could compromise Americans' financial information, according to a new government oversight report.

While the IRS has taken steps to improve its protection of taxpayer information, it has yet to implement more than 100 security procedures meant to help the agency protect sensitive taxpayer information, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found in its latest audit.

"Until IRS takes additional steps to address unresolved and newly identified control deficiencies and effectively implements components of its information security program, IRS financial reporting and taxpayer data will remain unnecessarily vulnerable to inappropriate and undetected use, modification, or disclosure," according to the report. "These shortcomings were the basis for GAO's determination that IRS had a significant deficiency in internal control over financial reporting systems for fiscal year 2017."

The IRS is just one of numerous government agencies struggling to prevent the disclosure of sensitive information, including that of American citizens and sensitive government information stored on government networks.

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