As accountants, we spend a lot of time talking about cash flow, margins, reporting, and compliance. But increasingly, we’re having another important conversation with clients: cybersecurity.

If you use Intuit QuickBooks, bill pay platforms, or other cloud-based accounting tools, you already benefit from strong built-in security. However, even the most secure platforms can’t protect against human error or increasingly sophisticated scams.

From our perspective as accountants—not IT experts—these are the practical cybersecurity best practices every business owner and finance team should be following.

Be Extra Vigilant About Phishing — Especially During Tax Season

Certain times of year (such as tax season, year-end, bonus cycles, holidays) bring a spike in phishing attempts. Cybercriminals know when finance teams are busiest and more likely to act quickly.

We’re seeing more emails that:

• Appear to come from Intuit QuickBooks, your bank, or even your accountant
• Include realistic logos and formatting
• Ask you to “review an invoice,” “verify your account,” or “reset your password”
• Request urgent wire transfers or changes to ACH depository accounts

These emails can look nearly identical to legitimate communications.

Best practice:

• Do not click links directly from unexpected emails.
• Log into Intuit QuickBooks or your bank by typing the website into your browser yourself.
• Confirm payment or banking changes verbally with a known contact before acting.

If something feels slightly off, pause. A 60-second phone call can prevent a six-figure mistake.

Avoid Opening Financial Documents on Public or Shared Networks

We often hear, “I was just quickly checking invoices from the airport” or “I logged in from a coffee shop.”

While cloud accounting platforms are secure, the network you’re using may not be.

Public Wi-Fi at airports, hotels, cafés, or shared office spaces can expose your session to interception if it’s not properly secured. That means financial documents, login credentials, and payment information can potentially be accessed by bad actors on the same network.

Best practice:

• Avoid logging into Intuit QuickBooks or bank accounts on public Wi-Fi.
• If you must, use a secure personal hotspot or a trusted VPN.
• Never access financial systems from shared computers.

Think of it this way: your accounting system is your financial control center. Treat it like your bank vault.

Understand How Intuit QuickBooks Invoices Can Be Exploited

Intuit QuickBooks invoices are sent securely. However, security doesn’t end once the email is delivered.

If an invoice is opened on an unsecured network, or if an email account is compromised, bad actors can intercept or manipulate information. One common fraud scheme involves altering payment instructions to re-route funds to a fraudulent account.

There are situations where:

• A vendor’s email was compromised.
• Payment instructions were quietly changed.
• Funds were sent — but not to the intended recipient.

By the time the error was discovered, recovery was difficult or impossible.

Best practice:

• Always confirm changes to ACH or wire instructions verbally with a trusted contact.
• Be skeptical of emails requesting urgent changes to payment details.
• Limit who has access to invoice editing and payment settings in Intuit QuickBooks.

Even secure systems can’t protect against compromised email accounts or unauthorized changes if internal controls aren’t in place.

Strengthen Internal Controls

Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue — it’s a financial control issue.

From an accounting perspective, strong internal controls are your first line of defense:

• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on Intuit QuickBooks, email, and banking platforms.
• Limit admin access to only those who truly need it.
• Separate duties when possible (one person enters bills, another approves payments).
• Regularly review user access and remove former employees immediately.

These steps reduce both external fraud risk and internal vulnerability.

Slow Down Payment Changes

Many fraud incidents occur because someone acted quickly under pressure.

If you receive:

• A vendor requesting updated wire instructions
• A “CEO” asking for an urgent transfer
• A notice that your account will be locked unless you log in immediately

Verify independently using a phone number you already have on file — not the one listed in the email. Speed is the fraudster’s best friend. Verification is yours.

Final Thoughts

As accountants, our role is to help you protect and grow your business. Today, that includes helping you protect your financial data and payment processes.

Intuit QuickBooks and other modern accounting tools are secure platforms. But cybersecurity ultimately depends on awareness, internal controls, and smart habits.

A few small precautions can prevent significant financial loss. If you’d like help reviewing your access controls, payment approval process, or financial system security practices, we’re here to help. Protecting your numbers means protecting your business.

Learn more about our services at https://www.mrpr.com/ or contact us to schedule a consultation.

 

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