**GAO-08-211**                      Published: Jan 08, 2008. Publicly Released: Jan 08, 2008.                  

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## Highlights

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 year 2007), process tax returns, and enforce the nation's tax laws. Effective information security controls are essential to ensuring that financial and taxpayer information is adequately protected from inadvertent or deliberate misuse, fraudulent use, improper disclosure, or destruction. As part of its audit of IRS's fiscal years 2007 and 2006 financial statements, GAO assessed (1) IRS's actions to correct previously reported information security 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, guidance, security plans, reports, and other documents; tested controls over key financial applications at three IRS data centers; and interviewed key security representatives and management officials.

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## Recommendations for Executive Action

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Full Report (31 pages)

Accessible Text 

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## Topics

Tax Policy and Administration

Computer securityData integrityFinancial institutionsInformation classificationInformation securityInformation security managementInformation security regulationsInternal controlsTax returnsTaxesSecurity standards