REMOTE WORK & DATA SECURITY at odds
As a CPA, your need for remote work grows significantly each year.

With each these factors bearing down:
ONE - the wave of retiring CPAs
TWO - the slowing number of new CPAs and
THREE – ongoing demand for remote work

the pressure to provide a remote work option is unrelenting.

CPA Remote Work and Data Breach Risk

75% of CPA firms offer remote/hybrid work according to Robert Half.
Working from home increases Cyber-Attacks by 238%.

The accounting profession has undergone a dramatic transformation since the pandemic, with over 75% of accounting firms now offering permanent remote or hybrid work options. While this shift brings flexibility and cost savings, it also introduces unprecedented challenges for CPA firms managing sensitive financial data outside traditional office walls.

The stakes are exceptionally high. Since the pandemic began, cyberattacks have increased by 300%, with hackers focusing on remote work setups. For firms handling confidential client information, the question is how to set up remote staff securely and compliantly.

The Data Security Crisis

Remote work vulnerabilities.

• ·Unsecured home networks

• ·Personal devices (laptop, phone, etc.)

• ·Open access to sensitive personal tax information

• ·Hacker friendly Public Wi-Fi (coffee shops, co-working, hotels, airport, etc.)

All represents significant risks that didn't exist within the firm's four walls and secure firewall. Therefore this changes how compliance requirements are met.

The Costs: $8.6M – $150 – 25,000 – 279
The average cost of a data breach in the United States is $8.6 million, according to the Ponemon Institute's research. Each lost customer record costs approximately $150, with the average breach involving more than 25,000 records and taking 279 days to contain.

Critical Collaboration: Protecting Client Data

Implementing secure Data Privacy is beyond a CPAs professional training. Yet it is required and as you can see, carries severe penalties when neglected.

This is why most CPAs and other regulatory driven firms utilize an MSP.

Utilizing an IT managed service provider (MSP) like Nerdworks Services, LLC stabilizes and manages IT environments, equipment and security which significantly reduces remote work risk.

Remote Work: A Collaborative MSP Partnership

• Implement remote work IT monitoring systems —
  Secure platforms with built-in tracking | Collaborate with your team on configuration | Monitor engagement progress | Track document workflows | Identify quality checkpoints | Minimize administrative burden

• Establish structured review protocols —
  Implement collaborative review workshops | Documentation standards for supervision | Defined approval workflows | Implement evidence-based review systems for oversight

• Deploy secure communication and documentation platforms —
  Encrypted communication channels,| Secure file sharing systems | Centralized documentation repositories | Compliant records of client interaction and supervisory activities

• Create audit trails for compliance verification —
  Data access logging systems | On demand compliance demonstration | Regular regulatory reviews | Flexibility for the remote team

• Develop incident response and monitoring protocols —
  Clear security response procedures | Easy remote/in house staff identification | Scheduled security audits and vulnerability assessments | Continuous monitoring of remote work
  

A remote work collaborative approach means Nerdworks doesn't just install and fix technology—they are an extension of your team, learning your unique workflows, compliance requirements, and even supervisory challenges.

A cookie cutter approach doesn’t work in a regulatory field. You need a solution that is form fitted.

Want to know where the risks are? DOWNLOAD the Nerdworks Services

IT Compliance Checklist for CPAs

Nerdworks Services, LLC specializes in helping accounting firms navigate remote work's complexities while maintaining compliance and supervision standards through collaborative consulting, infrastructure design, IT management, training, and ongoing support.