As tax season approaches, businesses are focused on preparing financial documents, filing returns, and meeting tight deadlines. Unfortunately, cybercriminals see this busy time, when business owners and employees are preoccupied, as the perfect opportunity to strike. And if you’re using Macs in your business, you need to be particularly vigilant — cybercriminals will target any vulnerable system, regardless of the platform.
Most hackers are looking for ways to exploit sensitive data, scam businesses, and create chaos. In today’s blog, we’ll explain why tax season is a prime opportunity for cybercriminals and share how you can protect your Mac business from potential threats.
Why Tax Season Attracts Cybercriminals
- Increased Exchange of Sensitive Data Tax season means the exchange of sensitive financial and personal information – both within your organization and with external parties like accountants or payroll providers. Whether you’re using MacBook laptops or iMacs, this creates multiple points of vulnerability for hackers to exploit, especially via fake e-mails or malicious links.
- Tight Deadlines Lead To Mistakes The pressure to meet deadlines often makes employees less vigilant about checking e-mails, links, or file attachments. This leads to an increased risk of phishing scams and malware slipping through, potentially affecting your Mac systems.
- Higher Volume of E-mails During tax season, your business likely handles a flood of e-mails related to forms, payment requests, and compliance updates. Cybercriminals take advantage of this high volume by crafting convincing phishing e-mails, often appearing to come from legitimate sources, to intercept sensitive data or credentials.
- Widespread Scams Targeting Taxpayers Hackers frequently impersonate trusted entities, such as the IRS or tax preparation services, to trick businesses into sharing confidential information or making fraudulent payments.
Common Tax Season Threats You Need To Watch Out For
- Phishing E-mails: Fraudulent e-mails claiming to be from the IRS, your accountant, or a tax service that ask for sensitive information or direct you to malicious links.
- Fake Invoices or Payment Requests: Scammers send fake invoices or payment demands to trick businesses into transferring money to fraudulent accounts.
- Ransomware Attacks: Cybercriminals may encrypt critical financial data and demand payment to release it, potentially locking you out of your Mac devices.
- Social Engineering: Hackers impersonating accountants, payroll providers, or trusted contacts via phone calls or e-mails to extract sensitive information.
How To Protect Your Mac Business This Tax Season
- Train Your Team Educate employees about the latest scams and how to recognize phishing attempts targeting Mac systems. Teach them to:
- Verify e-mail senders before opening attachments or clicking links.
- Be cautious of urgent payment requests or unusual account updates.
- Report suspicious e-mails immediately to your IT department or security team.
- Secure Your Communications Ensure that all sensitive tax-related data exchanges are encrypted. Use secure portals or file-sharing tools such as Apple’s AirDrop (with end-to-end encryption) or third-party services like Box or Dropbox for secure file sharing instead of regular e-mail.
- Implement Multifactor Authentication (MFA) Require MFA for access to financial systems, e-mail accounts, and any platforms used for tax-related activities. This extra layer of security is crucial, especially if your employees are working remotely and using personal Macs. Apple’s built-in two-factor authentication for iCloud, macOS, and apps like Safari can help protect your accounts.
If MFA isn’t already enabled, make sure you turn it on for any financial or sensitive business accounts to prevent unauthorized access.
- Conduct A Cybersecurity Audit Work with your IT provider to perform a full cybersecurity audit, specifically to address Mac-specific security features:
- Ensure your Mac devices have the latest software updates installed.
- Secure network endpoints and connected devices, particularly if employees are using personal Macs for work.
- Verify the integrity of your backup systems, ensuring that Time Machine or any cloud backups are functioning properly and that files are encrypted.
- Verify All Financial Requests Always double-check payment requests, especially those involving large sums or sensitive accounts. If a payment request appears suspicious, confirm via a second communication method (e.g., a phone call) to ensure its authenticity. For Mac users, this can include verifying invoices through FaceTime or another trusted communication method.
Don’t Let Hackers Score This Tax Season
Tax time doesn’t have to be open season for hackers, even if you’re running Mac systems in your business. By staying vigilant, educating your team, and implementing proactive cybersecurity measures, you can protect your business from becoming a victim of tax season scams.
Let’s make sure the only thing you’re filing this season is a successful tax return — not a cybersecurity incident report. Start with a FREE Network Assessment to uncover potential vulnerabilities and ensure your Mac systems are secure and ready for whatever comes your way.
Click here to schedule your FREE Network Assessment now!
