Information Security: Continued Efforts Needed to Address Significant Weaknesses at IRS

United States. Government Accountability Office.

United States. Government Accountability Office.

关键词: Government accountability -- United States.;    information security;    tax policy and administration;    information security;    letter report;   

RP-ID  :  GAO-09-136
RP-ID  :  284735

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) relies extensively on computerized systems to carry out its demanding responsibilities to collect taxes (about $2.7 trillion in fiscal years 2008 and 2007), process tax returns, and enforce the nation's tax laws. Effective information security controls are essential to protect financial and taxpayer information from inadvertent or deliberate misuse, improper disclosure, or destruction. As part of its audits of IRS's fiscal years 2008 and 2007 financial statements, GAO assessed (1) the status of IRS's actions to correct previously reported weaknesses and (2) whether controls were effective in ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of financial and sensitive taxpayer information. To do this, GAO examined IRS information security policies and procedures and other documents; tested controls over key financial applications; and interviewed key agency officials."