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Ensure physical files are locked away and log out of all devices before heading on holiday, say the ATO and CPA Australia.
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Last one out for Christmas please arm the alarm!
19 December 2022
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Lock away physical files and log out of all devices before shutting down for Christmas or put your business at risk, say the ATO and CPA Australia.
Securing office space and files should include checking all alarms are working as well as ensuring all physical documents are in locked storage units, said the ATO.
To secure digital files, the ATO encouraged employers to make life more difficult for any potential thieves.
“Log out of all devices — it’s easier for thieves to steal privileged information when a device is already logged into the system,” said the ATO.
“Securely store your devices. Keeping devices locked away and out of sight when they’re not being used is especially important if you plan on being away from your business premises for extended periods of time.”
It was also vital to check digital file backups were working, ensure cyber security software was up to date, and nominate someone within the IT department as first responder if a problem arose.
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The managing director at Duberly Vincent Associates, Matt Vincent, told CPA Australia that its external IT team had someone on standby.
“Our IT is managed externally and we make sure they have a few key team members here that get notified if there are any problems, but they also have authority to take action on any suspicious activity where necessary.”
It was important to make sure vendors, clients and even staff understood the shutdown periods.
Nicole Bedoya, practice manager at Guests Accounting, said clients should be provided with a number or address to contact in the event of an emergency.
“We send an alert to staff and remind them that this is their time to have a break,” said Ms Bedoya.
“We encourage them to reach out to their clients and work out a plan for them over the closure period, including how emergencies will be handled.”
Managing director of AFM Services John Zerella said they had members of their administration team come in for a few hours once or twice a week to ensure there were no urgent messages that needed attention.
“Members of our admin team come in for two or three hours, maybe once or twice a week, to check the mail and pass on any urgent messages,” Mr Zerella told CPA Australia.
“It’s human nature that people want things cleared off their to-do list, describing them as urgent.”
“I think each year we get a little better educating our clients and having them recognise what requires somebody’s annual leave to be disrupted.”
And Ms Bedoya told CPA Australia it was worth having the office thoroughly cleaned.
“We do a deep clean of the office at this time of year,” she said. “That way when everyone returns from holiday, everything is fresh and ready to go.”
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