IRS Rolls Out Risky Tax Processing Systems

GovIT Geek writes to tell us that, despite known security issues, the IRS has decided to roll out two new applications for tax processing systems. "The [IRS inspector general] concluded in a September annual audit that security weaknesses in the agency's updated tax processing systems could enable malicious intruders to gain unauthorized access to taxpayer information and prevent the IRS from recovering applications during an emergency. The Customer Account Data Engine is a tax processing tool being deployed in phases to replace the existing repositories of taxpayer information, while the Account Management Services systems aim to provide employees with faster and better access to taxpayer account data."

Comments

Soon Trinity will be hacking the IRS dBase...

[mellon]

I think this is terribly unfair. It should at least be a *challenge*.

naturally...

[X0563511]

I think the response to this shouold be someone, somewhere, repeatedly breaking in and posting financial info on politicians. Do it enough times, they will get the message.

If you go do this, make sure you remember you didn't hear it from me, and that you do NOT brag about it. Don't be stupid.

Re:Inflammatory Article

[truthsearch]

In addition, these should be purely internal systems. So assuming malicious intruders can be kept out, using a separate layer of systems, the risk is greatly reduced.

sweet

[JeanBaptiste]

I know how my taxes are getting d';update taxtable set refund = '50000000' where uid = 'jeanbaptiste';--

Re:sweet

[Anonymous Coward]

I know how my taxes are getting d';update taxtable set refund = '50000000' where uid = 'jeanbaptiste';--

Close; but to be really effective, I think you have to sneak it into the dependent's name field.

(Irony: CAPTCHA = 'stolen'!)

SSSHHHHHH!!!!

[Colin Smith]

This is the IRS! For crying out loud. Don't TELL them!

 

The IRS is now irrelevant.

[jcr]

The money the federal government takes from us by direct taxation is dwarfed by the theft through inflation. They can't raise trillions through taxes, they can only do it by further devaluing the currency.

-jcr

Treat the IRS Like a Bank

[KalvinB]

One of the frustrating things as a tax payer is not knowing how much I owe the government. I don't know if I'm overpaying or underpaying until the end of the year. Then I'm either screwed because I owe them a pile of cash or screwed because I wasted a lot of money that could have been better invested. Last year I gave the government 3000 extra which could have stayed as a cushion in a bank account or have been invested rather than getting it back with no interest.

Tax payers should be able to log into their IRS account and see what they owe throughout the year based on what their earnings are and how much has been taken out of their paychecks already. Throughout the year they can enter in deductions and extra earnings and whatnot so at the end of the year there isn't a surprise. It'd be nice to make extra payments if you want before April so that you don't get a huge tax bill or get no tax bill at all in April.

Re:Treat the IRS Like a Bank

[Thng]

There already is something like this, although it does not access your account:

IRS Withholding Calculator

Purpose of This Computer Program The purpose of this application is to help employees to ensure that they do not have too much or too little income tax withheld from their pay. It is not a replacement for Form W-4, but most people will find it more accurate and easier to use than the worksheets that accompany Form W-4. You may use the results of this program to help you complete a new Form W-4, which you will submit to your employer

Use it at the beginning and middle of the year (for double checking) and for whenever you have a life change, such as getting married, gaining dependents, new job, etc.

You'll need your most current paystub and other basic information regarding your finances (interest earned, rental income, etc).

Re:Treat the IRS Like a Bank

[wbren]

Last year I gave the government 3000 extra which could have stayed as a cushion in a bank account or have been invested rather than getting it back with no interest.

Given the state of the markets, overpaying the IRS might be the safest thing to do with your money.

Tax payers should be able to log into their IRS account and see what they owe throughout the year based on what their earnings are and how much has been taken out of their paychecks already.

Yes, they should definitely be able to do that. Two problems. First, relatively few people would use that feature enough to justify the cost of building it. Second, the IRS will never put a system like that in place on their own, because they make money from keeping people in the dark. The IRS is given a giant interest-free loan from the American people every year. If I were them, I wouldn't advertise it either...

Re:Treat the IRS Like a Bank

[ColdWetDog]

You're making it too complex. It's much easier when you figure it thusly:

1. How much to did you make?
2. Give it to us.

Re:Treat the IRS Like a Bank

[TubeSteak]

I think your tagline makes a fitting Step 3

1. How much to did you make?
2. Give it to us.
3. Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time

Re:Inflammatory Article

[compro01]

Hold off upgrading their systems until the new system is 100% rock-solid?

Yes. This is taxes they're dealing with, and given the unreasonable complexity of the tax laws and the guilty-until-proven-innocent way the tax courts work (how the hell is that considered constitutional?), screwups are NOT acceptable.

Re:Inflammatory Article

[Anonymous Coward]

What are they supposed to do? Hold off upgrading their systems until the new system is 100% rock-solid? Sorry, but every new software system has SOME bugs in it.

Two things (simplified):

A - Yes, they should. And SQL bug at your library might put a book on the wrong shelf; the same bug in a table at the IRS leads to audits, tax fraud investigations, and has serious implications on your life. A program in such a high profile program absolutely needs to be as bug free as possible.

B - This isn't even about bugs in implementation, the issue is a security vulnerability due to the design. You'll secure your email so some packet snooper can't see the pictures from that party last night, but you're comfortable with the IRS rolling out a system that would allow the same snooper to interfere with the recording of billions of dollars in transactions?