Cybersecurity deficiencies at the IRS leave taxpayer data vulnerable to misuse, tampering and disclosure, according to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
The annual report of the IRS’ IT program found the agency needs to modernize and improve its abilities to detect cybercrime activity through continuous monitoring and tracking.
IT weaknesses could limit the IRS’ ability to collect the $4.1 trillion in taxes and process the $1.1 trillion in refunds and outlays it handles in fiscal 2021.
Despite receiving an additional $1 billion in funding under the American Rescue Plan Act, the IRS continues to struggle with maintaining a comprehensive inventory of information systems, TIGTA stated in the report. Learn more.