SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Announcement 2009–56, page 145. The IRS has developed six (6) new security, privacy, and business standards to better protect taxpayer information collected, processed and stored by Authorized IRS e-file Providers participating in Online Filing of Individual income tax returns. The security and privacy objectives of these standards are: setting minimum encryption standards for transmission of taxpayer information over the internet and authentication of Web site owners/operators beyond that offered by standard version SSL certificates; periodic external vulnerability scan of the taxpayer data environment; protection against bulk-filing of fraudulent tax returns; and the ability to timely isolate and investigate potentially compromised taxpayer information. These standards also address certain customer service objectives such as instant access to Web site owner/operator’s contact information, and e-file Providers commitment to maintaining physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with applicable law and federal standards.