Online Security an Issue In General, Not Just With Filing Online

Did the Heartbleed security error cause concern about filing online with CRA? 64% of KBR readers said ‘no.’

Our May poll collected over 180 votes regarding the Heartbleed security issue. Of the comments posted, the underlying current is that security concerns exist online in general, not just with filing taxes online.

Lori states:  “The issue is not with the method of filing (by paper/mail or online) – all your personal and business information ends up in CRA’s databanks either way. This latest security breach was due to a ‘back door’ left open in an open source programming code error made over two years ago and supposedly undiscovered by CRA until recently (yet other open source code users knew of this problem)…So, yes, I think we should be worried, but not about HOW we file ours and others’ taxes, but about IF Canada Revenue Agency is keeping our information secure overall.”

For those who are not comfortable with the online age, these security breaches don’t help in making the transition. Frank comments: “My clients, who are mostly seniors, are the ones who are worried about electronically sending in their information… It is my responsibility to help them get past this threat and inform them within the next couple of years paper filing will not be available to them.  In some cases it is a hard sell.  Accepting change and then something like this occurs makes them very uneasy.”

Liz adds: “I have explained to my clients what happened and 50% of them do not want their taxes e-filed. No computer system is completely safe… so in my opinion you should be taking the same precautions as you do with all your personal information.”

Pete opines:  “Online information will always be vulnerable to security breaches regardless of the precautions they take. If a client is concerned about security, we should at least be able to file a paper return for him without being subject to a $25 penalty.”

Evan writes: “I told some of my clients the technology used to break into an envelope is still easier than hacking into CRA’s database.”

On that same thought, Maria concludes: “If we mail the tax return, there can be theft of the mail boxes and they can obtain the information from a paper return.  As a matter of fact, they can find out how much we earned, where we live, our SIN number, date of birth etc. So, there’s an equal chance of identity theft whether the taxes are done on-line or on paper…What can be done? Actually there’s nothing we can do except hope that we’re not one of the victims.”

Thank you to all who participated in our May poll.  Weigh in on our June poll: “Should unemployment insurance ever be subject to a clawback on the tax return?” Tell us what you think.