IT Services & Cybersecurity
Built for Accounting Firms
Your clients trust you with their most sensitive tax returns, financial statements, and payroll data. We ensure that trust is never broken. From proactive IT management to 39+ layered security controls, we keep CPA firms running securely and productively year-round, especially during tax season.
Serving 2,500+ organizations since 2002. BBB A+ Accredited since 2003. Zero breaches among clients following our security program.
Why Accounting Firms Partner with Petronella
Accounting firms need technology that is reliable, secure, and built around the seasonal demands of tax preparation, audit work, and client advisory services. Generic IT providers do not understand your workflow. We do.
Near-Zero Downtime
Every hour your systems are down during tax season is lost revenue and missed deadlines. Our proactive monitoring and management keeps your network, servers, and applications running so your CPAs never lose a billable minute to preventable technology failures.
Client Data Protection
Your clients share their most intimate financial details with you. Social Security numbers, bank accounts, income records, and business financials. Our 39+ layered security controls ensure this data is encrypted, access-controlled, and protected from both external hackers and internal mistakes.
IRS & FTC Compliance
Tax preparers are legally required under IRS Publication 4557 and the FTC Safeguards Rule to maintain written information security plans. We build these programs so your firm satisfies federal requirements and avoids penalties that could cost your practice its ability to file returns.
Tax Season Surge Support
When January hits, your technology demands spike dramatically. Additional staff, heavier software loads, extended hours, and client portal traffic all stress your infrastructure. We prepare your systems for tax season months in advance so nothing breaks when the pressure is highest.
Why Accounting Firms Face Escalating Cyber Threats
Cybercriminals have discovered that accounting firms are goldmines of sensitive data. A single CPA practice may hold thousands of Social Security numbers, employer identification numbers, bank account details, and complete financial histories for both individuals and businesses. For a hacker, compromising one accounting firm is equivalent to breaching hundreds of individual targets simultaneously.
Read More
The threat landscape for accounting firms intensifies dramatically during tax season. Between January and April, cybercriminals ramp up phishing campaigns impersonating the IRS, state tax agencies, and tax software providers. They send convincing emails with malicious attachments disguised as W-2 forms, 1099s, or client tax documents. A single click by a busy staff member during the busiest time of year can give attackers access to your entire client database. Identity thieves then use stolen tax data to file fraudulent returns, claim refunds, and commit financial crimes using your clients' identities.
The IRS has recognized this threat and now requires all tax professionals to implement written information security plans under Publication 4557. The FTC's updated Safeguards Rule, which applies to all "financial institutions" including tax preparers, mandates specific technical controls: encryption, multi-factor authentication, access controls, continuous monitoring, penetration testing, and a designated qualified individual to oversee your security program. Failure to comply can result in enforcement actions, loss of your Electronic Filing Identification Number, and civil penalties. Beyond federal requirements, many states have enacted their own data breach notification laws and information security requirements that add additional compliance obligations.
But cybersecurity is only half the equation. Accounting firms also need reliable, well-managed technology to operate efficiently. Tax preparation software like Drake, Lacerte, ProSeries, UltraTax, and CCH must integrate seamlessly with document management systems, client portals, email platforms, and cloud storage. When software conflicts arise, network performance degrades, or remote access fails during tax season, the result is missed deadlines, frustrated clients, and lost revenue. Your technology infrastructure needs to work as hard as your CPAs do.
At Petronella Technology Group, Inc., we have been providing IT services and cybersecurity to accounting and financial firms since 2002. Craig Petronella, our founder and a Licensed Digital Forensic Examiner with CMMC CRP credentials and MIT cybersecurity certification, understands that accounting firms need a technology partner who handles both security and operational reliability under one roof. Our 39+ security controls protect your client data while our managed IT services keep your systems running at peak performance. Across more than 2,500 client engagements, we maintain a verified record of zero breaches among clients who follow our security program. Your clients trust you with their finances. You can trust us with your technology.
Written Information Security Plans
We develop the written security plans required by IRS Publication 4557 and the FTC Safeguards Rule, including risk assessments, data inventories, access controls, encryption standards, incident response procedures, and the designation of a qualified individual to oversee your program.
Tax Software Integration & Support
We manage the deployment, updates, integration, and troubleshooting of your tax preparation software, document management systems, client portals, and cloud-based accounting platforms so your CPAs can focus on client work instead of IT problems.
Secure Client Portals
We implement and secure client-facing portals for document exchange, ensuring that sensitive tax documents, financial statements, and engagement letters are transmitted using encrypted channels rather than insecure email attachments that put your clients at risk.
Proactive Network Monitoring
Our 24/7 monitoring detects and resolves network issues, storage capacity warnings, server performance degradation, and security anomalies before they disrupt your operations. During tax season, when downtime is most costly, this proactive approach is the difference between meeting deadlines and missing them.
IT & Cybersecurity Services for Accounting Firms
We combine managed IT services with specialized cybersecurity to give accounting firms a single technology partner that handles everything. No finger-pointing between vendors, no gaps in coverage, complete accountability.
Managed IT Services
Our managed IT services handle the day-to-day technology operations your firm depends on. We manage servers, workstations, printers, network equipment, software licensing, patch management, and helpdesk support. When your staff has a technology question or issue, they call our team directly and get fast, knowledgeable support from engineers who understand accounting firm workflows and the software you rely on daily.
Data Backup & Disaster Recovery
Losing client tax data to a ransomware attack or hardware failure is catastrophic for an accounting firm. Our backup systems create encrypted, redundant copies of your data with verified recovery capabilities. We test restores regularly to guarantee that your data can be recovered quickly in any disaster scenario. Our disaster recovery plans are designed to get your firm back online within hours, not days, so you never miss a filing deadline due to a technology failure.
Email Security & Phishing Defense
Tax season phishing attacks are increasingly sophisticated. Cybercriminals send emails impersonating clients, the IRS, state agencies, and tax software companies with attachments designed to steal credentials or install malware. Our email security stack includes advanced threat protection, DMARC/DKIM/SPF authentication, attachment sandboxing, and URL rewriting. Combined with targeted security awareness training for your staff, we dramatically reduce the risk of a successful phishing attack compromising your firm.
Encryption & Access Controls
The FTC Safeguards Rule requires encryption of customer information both in transit and at rest. We implement full-disk encryption on all workstations and laptops, encrypt server storage volumes containing client data, secure email transmissions, and enforce role-based access controls that ensure only authorized staff members can access specific client files. Multi-factor authentication adds an additional barrier that prevents unauthorized access even if passwords are compromised.
Security Awareness Training
Your staff are the first line of defense against cyber attacks. We provide customized training programs that address the specific threats accounting firms face: tax season phishing, W-2 request scams, fraudulent IRS impersonation emails, and social engineering attempts targeting payroll data. Training includes simulated phishing exercises with measurable metrics that demonstrate your firm's improving security awareness over time, satisfying both IRS and FTC requirements for employee training.
Cloud & Remote Work Solutions
Modern accounting firms need secure remote access for staff working from home, traveling to client sites, or operating from satellite offices. We implement secure VPN solutions, cloud-hosted desktop environments, and managed hosting platforms that give your CPAs access to their applications and client files from anywhere, with the same security protections they have in the office. No compromises on security, no compromises on productivity.
How We Transform Your Firm's Technology
Our onboarding process is designed to minimize disruption to your practice while rapidly improving both security and operational reliability. Here is how we get your firm protected and productive.
Technology & Security Audit
We audit your current IT infrastructure, software stack, data storage practices, and security controls. We identify compliance gaps against IRS Publication 4557 and FTC Safeguards Rule requirements, evaluate your network reliability, and document opportunities to improve both security and operational efficiency.
Custom Plan Development
Based on our audit findings, we develop a tailored IT and security plan for your firm. This includes your written information security plan, technology upgrade recommendations, software integration plans, backup and recovery architecture, and a training schedule for your team.
Implementation
We deploy your 39+ security controls, set up managed IT monitoring, configure backup systems, implement email security, roll out encryption, and ensure all your accounting software is properly integrated and optimized. Implementation is scheduled to minimize disruption to your daily operations and billing cycles.
Ongoing Management & Support
We become your firm's dedicated technology partner. 24/7 monitoring, helpdesk support, quarterly security reviews, annual penetration testing, tax season readiness preparation, software updates, and continuous compliance maintenance. We handle the technology so you can focus on what you do best: serving your clients.
Accounting & Financial Firms We Serve
From solo practitioners to multi-office CPA firms, we tailor our IT and cybersecurity services to the specific needs, software requirements, and compliance obligations of each practice.
CPA Firms
CPA firms are the primary target for tax-related cyber attacks. You handle individual and business tax returns, financial statements, audit workpapers, and advisory documents that contain some of the most sensitive information in existence.
We provide the combination of robust managed IT services and defense-in-depth cybersecurity that CPA firms need to protect client data, maintain uptime during busy season, and comply with IRS and FTC requirements.
Bookkeeping Firms
Bookkeeping firms maintain ongoing access to client bank accounts, payroll systems, accounts payable and receivable, and general ledgers. This persistent access to financial systems makes bookkeeping firms attractive targets for cybercriminals seeking to redirect payments or steal funds.
We secure the connections between your firm and your clients' financial systems, implement transaction monitoring, and protect the access credentials that could be exploited to steal money directly from client accounts.
Tax Preparation Offices
Tax preparation offices, from individual preparers to multi-location franchises, are specifically targeted by the IRS's information security requirements. The IRS expects every tax preparer to have a written information security plan, and failure to comply can result in the revocation of your Electronic Filing Identification Number.
We develop IRS-compliant security plans and implement the technical controls needed to protect client tax information, secure e-filing processes, and demonstrate compliance during IRS reviews.
Payroll Service Providers
Payroll providers process direct deposits, handle tax withholdings, and maintain employee personal information for potentially hundreds of client companies. A breach affecting a payroll provider ripples across every client organization, making the potential scale of damage enormous.
We implement stringent access controls, transaction verification procedures, and continuous monitoring that protect both your payroll processing systems and the sensitive employee data you handle for your clients.
Forensic Accounting Firms
Forensic accountants handle litigation-sensitive financial data, fraud investigations, and expert witness engagements where the confidentiality and integrity of financial evidence is paramount. Data tampering or unauthorized disclosure can destroy cases and create professional liability exposure.
We provide the security infrastructure and chain-of-custody protections that forensic accounting firms need to ensure their digital evidence is protected, authenticated, and defensible in legal proceedings.
Multi-Office Practices
Accounting firms with multiple office locations face the challenge of maintaining consistent technology standards, security controls, and software environments across all locations while enabling seamless collaboration between offices.
We architect unified IT environments with centralized management, consistent security policies, reliable inter-office connectivity, and standardized software deployments that ensure every office operates at the same level of security and efficiency.
Why Accounting Firms Trust Petronella Technology Group, Inc.
Your firm is built on reliability and trust. Your technology partner should embody the same values. Here is what makes Petronella the right choice for accounting and financial professionals.
IT + Security Under One Roof
Most IT providers handle basic technology management but lack cybersecurity expertise. Most cybersecurity firms handle assessments but do not manage your day-to-day IT. Petronella Technology Group, Inc. does both. When your IT provider and your security provider are the same company, there are no gaps, no finger-pointing, and no coordination problems. One team manages your technology, secures your data, and keeps your firm running. It is simpler, more effective, and more cost-efficient.
Accounting Industry Experience
We understand the seasonal rhythms of accounting work, the software platforms your firm depends on, the compliance requirements specific to tax preparers, and the critical importance of uptime during busy season. When you call our helpdesk during tax season because your tax software is throwing errors, our engineers know how to resolve the issue quickly because they have supported accounting firms for over two decades. We do not need to learn your industry. We already know it.
Proven Zero-Breach Record
Among all clients who follow our comprehensive 39+ control security program, we have maintained a verified record of zero breaches. For an accounting firm, where a single breach could expose thousands of client Social Security numbers and financial records, this track record is not just reassuring. It is essential. Craig Petronella, our Licensed Digital Forensic Examiner with MIT cybersecurity certification, has spent 25+ years building the methodology that makes this record possible.
Scalable to Your Practice Size
Whether you are a solo CPA working from a home office or a 50-person firm with multiple offices, our services scale to fit. We do not force small practices into oversized enterprise solutions, and we do not offer watered-down services to larger firms. Every engagement is customized to your firm's specific size, software requirements, compliance needs, and budget. As your practice grows, our services grow with you seamlessly.
Petronella vs. Standard IT Providers for Accounting Firms
Standard IT providers manage your technology but leave your cybersecurity and compliance to chance. Petronella handles both, with deep accounting industry knowledge that generic providers simply cannot match.
| Aspect | Standard IT Provider | Petronella for Accounting |
|---|---|---|
| IRS Compliance | Unaware of IRS Pub 4557 or FTC Safeguards Rule for tax preparers | Develops complete written information security plans that satisfy IRS and FTC requirements |
| Tax Software Expertise | Treats tax software like any other application | Deep familiarity with major tax platforms, integration points, and seasonal update cycles |
| Tax Season Preparation | No seasonal preparation or surge capacity planning | Pre-season infrastructure audits, capacity planning, and prioritized support during busy season |
| Cybersecurity Depth | Basic antivirus and firewall, no layered defense | 39+ layered security controls with defense-in-depth architecture and zero-breach track record |
| Client Data Protection | Generic data handling without tax-specific protections | Encryption, DLP, secure portals, and controls designed for tax and financial data sensitivity |
| Incident Response | Reactive with outsourced forensics | Licensed Digital Forensic Examiner on staff with IRS breach notification expertise |
Accounting Firm IT & Cybersecurity FAQ
Answers to the questions that managing partners and firm administrators ask most about IT services, cybersecurity, and compliance for accounting practices.
What cybersecurity requirements does the IRS impose on tax preparers?
IRS Publication 4557 outlines specific data security requirements for tax professionals. All tax preparers must have a written information security plan that identifies risks, implements safeguards, and tests controls. The FTC Safeguards Rule adds specific technical requirements including encryption, multi-factor authentication, access controls, penetration testing, continuous monitoring, and a designated qualified individual. Failure to comply can result in loss of your EFIN, IRS enforcement actions, and FTC penalties. We build fully compliant programs that address every requirement.
What are the biggest cybersecurity threats to accounting firms?
The top threats include tax season phishing campaigns impersonating the IRS and tax software vendors, ransomware that locks firms out of client data during critical filing periods, business email compromise targeting client communications and payment instructions, W-2 theft schemes where attackers impersonate executives requesting employee data, and credential theft targeting e-filing systems and client portals. Each threat spike during tax season when firms are most vulnerable due to high workloads and time pressure.
How do you handle tax season technology demands?
We begin tax season preparation months in advance. This includes infrastructure capacity assessments to ensure your servers and network can handle increased load, pre-season software updates and compatibility testing, temporary staff onboarding and workstation setup, increased monitoring sensitivity during January through April, and prioritized support response times during peak periods. By the time tax season arrives, your technology is tested, tuned, and ready to perform at maximum capacity.
Can you support our specific tax and accounting software?
Yes. We have experience supporting all major tax preparation and accounting platforms including Drake, Lacerte, ProSeries, UltraTax, CCH Axcess, Thomson Reuters, QuickBooks, Sage, Xero, and various document management and practice management systems. We handle deployment, updates, integration issues, and performance optimization. If your software requires specific server configurations, database management, or network architecture, our engineers configure your environment to meet vendor specifications and best practices.
How do you protect against ransomware targeting accounting firms?
Our ransomware defense is multi-layered. We deploy advanced endpoint detection and response that identifies ransomware behavior before encryption begins, implement email security that blocks ransomware delivery mechanisms, maintain encrypted offsite backups that cannot be reached by ransomware on your network, segment your network to limit lateral movement if one system is compromised, and train your staff to recognize the phishing emails that deliver most ransomware. In the unlikely event ransomware bypasses our defenses, our backup and disaster recovery systems get your firm back online quickly without paying a ransom.
Do you offer secure client portals for document exchange?
Yes. Sending sensitive tax documents via unencrypted email is one of the most common security mistakes accounting firms make. We implement secure client portals that allow your clients to upload and download documents through encrypted connections, replacing the risky practice of emailing W-2s, bank statements, and tax returns. These portals integrate with your existing workflow and provide a professional, secure experience that your clients appreciate and your regulators expect.
What happens if our firm experiences a data breach?
We develop an incident response plan specific to your firm before any incident occurs. If a breach does happen, our team activates immediately to contain the threat, preserve forensic evidence, assess what data was compromised, coordinate notification to affected clients and regulatory authorities including the IRS, state attorneys general, and relevant state agencies, and remediate the vulnerabilities that allowed the breach. Craig Petronella, our Licensed Digital Forensic Examiner, leads forensic investigations with proper chain-of-custody procedures that produce admissible evidence.
How much do your IT and cybersecurity services cost for accounting firms?
Our pricing is tailored to your firm's size, number of users, technology complexity, and service requirements. We offer predictable monthly managed IT and security plans that eliminate surprise technology costs and budget uncertainty. The investment in proper IT management and cybersecurity is a fraction of the cost of a single breach, which can include IRS penalties, state fines, client notification costs, credit monitoring services, legal fees, lost clients, and reputational damage. Call 919-348-4912 for a free technology assessment and customized quote for your firm.
Your Clients Trust You with Their Finances. Trust Petronella with Your Technology.
Every tax return your firm prepares contains enough personal information to steal a client's identity. Every financial statement contains data that competitors would love to access. And the IRS now requires documented cybersecurity controls from every tax preparer in America. The question is not whether your firm can afford proper IT and cybersecurity. The question is whether you can afford not to have it.
Join the 2,500+ organizations that trust Petronella Technology Group, Inc. for their technology and security needs. Get a free IT and security assessment for your accounting firm today.
Petronella Technology Group, Inc. — 5540 Centerview Dr. Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606 — [email protected]
Related Resources for Accounting Firms
Explore additional services that complement our accounting firm IT and cybersecurity solutions.
Financial Industry Cybersecurity
Broader cybersecurity solutions for financial services firms including investment advisers, insurance companies, and fintech organizations.
Managed Hosting
Secure, high-performance cloud hosting for accounting applications that gives your team access from anywhere with enterprise-grade security.
SOC Compliance
SOC 2 certification for accounting firms that need to demonstrate security controls to clients, particularly those serving publicly traded companies.
Security Awareness Training
Customized training programs with simulated phishing campaigns designed specifically for accounting firm staff and the threats they face.
Virtual CISO
Executive cybersecurity leadership for larger accounting firms that need strategic security oversight and compliance program management.