Tax professionals and taxpayers will be faced with extra layers of security when they register for the IRS's e-services program and sign into their accounts, the agency announced in an electronic alert issued on October 1.
Among the changes is the addition of a series of challenge questions to allow users to unlock their own accounts. The IRS said new users will be presented with the questions when they register. Existing users will be presented with the questions the first time they log on.
The IRS said it implemented the security changes on September 28, but said the challenge questions will not be available for taxpayers who forget their passwords until sometime in November.
According to the alert, users will no longer get a 15-minute time-out after three unsuccessful login attempts, as they will be able to unlock their account by answering the challenge questions. If the users can't correctly answer the questions, their account will be locked and they will have to use the Forgotten or Lost Password or PIN function to unlock it, the IRS said. In addition, users will not be allowed to enter their Social Security number as part of their user name or password, the IRS said. Passwords will have to contain at least one number, one uppercase and one lowercase letter, and one special character. The IRS said if a user's password doesn't meet the new requirements, the system will force the user to update the password the next time they log in.
Passwords will also expire after a prescribed period of time. Users won't be able to reuse the last 24 passwords, the IRS said, adding it will send e-mail notifications 30 days and again 20 days before a password expires. The agency still plans to use the 10-day e-mail notification it currently sends out.
The IRS said it also is making changes to the registration screen. The agency said it will:
- remove the word "expired,"
- change Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to Social Security number and Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (SSN/ITIN),
- update the user name rules,
- update help screens for password and user name,
- add a password link, and
- allow only 5 digits for the PIN.
Details of the security changes to e-services registration can be found here.
IRS Adds More Security to Registration, Sign-On for Tax Professional E-Services
Tax professionals and taxpayers will be faced with extra layers of security when they register for the IRS's e-services program and sign into their accounts, the agency announced in an electronic alert issued on October 1.
Among the changes is the addition of a series of challenge questions to allow users to unlock their own accounts. The IRS said new users will be presented with the questions when they register. Existing users will be presented with the questions the first time they log on.
The IRS said it implemented the security changes on September 28, but said the challenge questions will not be available for taxpayers who forget their passwords until sometime in November.
According to the alert, users will no longer get a 15-minute time-out after three unsuccessful login attempts, as they will be able to unlock their account by answering the challenge questions. If the users can't correctly answer the questions, their account will be locked and they will have to use the Forgotten or Lost Password or PIN function to unlock it, the IRS said. In addition, users will not be allowed to enter their Social Security number as part of their user name or password, the IRS said. Passwords will have to contain at least one number, one uppercase and one lowercase letter, and one special character. The IRS said if a user's password doesn't meet the new requirements, the system will force the user to update the password the next time they log in.
Passwords will also expire after a prescribed period of time. Users won't be able to reuse the last 24 passwords, the IRS said, adding it will send e-mail notifications 30 days and again 20 days before a password expires. The agency still plans to use the 10-day e-mail notification it currently sends out.
The IRS said it also is making changes to the registration screen. The agency said it will:
- remove the word "expired,"
- change Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to Social Security number and Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (SSN/ITIN),
- update the user name rules,
- update help screens for password and user name,
- add a password link, and
- allow only 5 digits for the PIN.
Details of the security changes to e-services registration can be found here.
Tax professionals and taxpayers will be faced with extra layers of security when they register for the IRS's e-services program and sign into their accounts, the agency announced in an electronic alert issued on October 1.
Among the changes is the addition of a series of challenge questions to allow users to unlock their own accounts. The IRS said new users will be presented with the questions when they register. Existing users will be presented with the questions the first time they log on.
The IRS said it implemented the security changes on September 28, but said the challenge questions will not be available for taxpayers who forget their passwords until sometime in November.
According to the alert, users will no longer get a 15-minute time-out after three unsuccessful login attempts, as they will be able to unlock their account by answering the challenge questions. If the users can't correctly answer the questions, their account will be locked and they will have to use the Forgotten or Lost Password or PIN function to unlock it, the IRS said. In addition, users will not be allowed to enter their Social Security number as part of their user name or password, the IRS said. Passwords will have to contain at least one number, one uppercase and one lowercase letter, and one special character. The IRS said if a user's password doesn't meet the new requirements, the system will force the user to update the password the next time they log in.
Passwords will also expire after a prescribed period of time. Users won't be able to reuse the last 24 passwords, the IRS said, adding it will send e-mail notifications 30 days and again 20 days before a password expires. The agency still plans to use the 10-day e-mail notification it currently sends out.
The IRS said it also is making changes to the registration screen. The agency said it will:
- remove the word "expired,"
- change Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to Social Security number and Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (SSN/ITIN),
- update the user name rules,
- update help screens for password and user name,
- add a password link, and
- allow only 5 digits for the PIN.
Details of the security changes to e-services registration can be found here.
Tax professionals and taxpayers will be faced with extra layers of security when they register for the IRS's e-services program and sign into their accounts, the agency announced in an electronic alert issued on October 1.
Among the changes is the addition of a series of challenge questions to allow users to unlock their own accounts. The IRS said new users will be presented with the questions when they register. Existing users will be presented with the questions the first time they log on.
The IRS said it implemented the security changes on September 28, but said the challenge questions will not be available for taxpayers who forget their passwords until sometime in November.
According to the alert, users will no longer get a 15-minute time-out after three unsuccessful login attempts, as they will be able to unlock their account by answering the challenge questions. If the users can't correctly answer the questions, their account will be locked and they will have to use the Forgotten or Lost Password or PIN function to unlock it, the IRS said. In addition, users will not be allowed to enter their Social Security number as part of their user name or password, the IRS said. Passwords will have to contain at least one number, one uppercase and one lowercase letter, and one special character. The IRS said if a user's password doesn't meet the new requirements, the system will force the user to update the password the next time they log in.
Passwords will also expire after a prescribed period of time. Users won't be able to reuse the last 24 passwords, the IRS said, adding it will send e-mail notifications 30 days and again 20 days before a password expires. The agency still plans to use the 10-day e-mail notification it currently sends out.
The IRS said it also is making changes to the registration screen. The agency said it will:
- remove the word "expired,"
- change Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to Social Security number and Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (SSN/ITIN),
- update the user name rules,
- update help screens for password and user name,
- add a password link, and
- allow only 5 digits for the PIN.
Details of the security changes to e-services registration can be found here.
Tax professionals and taxpayers will be faced with extra layers of security when they register for the IRS's e-services program and sign into their accounts, the agency announced in an electronic alert issued on October 1.
Among the changes is the addition of a series of challenge questions to allow users to unlock their own accounts. The IRS said new users will be presented with the questions when they register. Existing users will be presented with the questions the first time they log on.
The IRS said it implemented the security changes on September 28, but said the challenge questions will not be available for taxpayers who forget their passwords until sometime in November.
According to the alert, users will no longer get a 15-minute time-out after three unsuccessful login attempts, as they will be able to unlock their account by answering the challenge questions. If the users can't correctly answer the questions, their account will be locked and they will have to use the Forgotten or Lost Password or PIN function to unlock it, the IRS said. In addition, users will not be allowed to enter their Social Security number as part of their user name or password, the IRS said. Passwords will have to contain at least one number, one uppercase and one lowercase letter, and one special character. The IRS said if a user's password doesn't meet the new requirements, the system will force the user to update the password the next time they log in.
Passwords will also expire after a prescribed period of time. Users won't be able to reuse the last 24 passwords, the IRS said, adding it will send e-mail notifications 30 days and again 20 days before a password expires. The agency still plans to use the 10-day e-mail notification it currently sends out.
The IRS said it also is making changes to the registration screen. The agency said it will:
- remove the word "expired,"
- change Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to Social Security number and Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (SSN/ITIN),
- update the user name rules,
- update help screens for password and user name,
- add a password link, and
- allow only 5 digits for the PIN.
Details of the security changes to e-services registration can be found here.
Tax professionals and taxpayers will be faced with extra layers of security when they register for the IRS's e-services program and sign into their accounts, the agency announced in an electronic alert issued on October 1.
Among the changes is the addition of a series of challenge questions to allow users to unlock their own accounts. The IRS said new users will be presented with the questions when they register. Existing users will be presented with the questions the first time they log on.
The IRS said it implemented the security changes on September 28, but said the challenge questions will not be available for taxpayers who forget their passwords until sometime in November.
According to the alert, users will no longer get a 15-minute time-out after three unsuccessful login attempts, as they will be able to unlock their account by answering the challenge questions. If the users can't correctly answer the questions, their account will be locked and they will have to use the Forgotten or Lost Password or PIN function to unlock it, the IRS said. In addition, users will not be allowed to enter their Social Security number as part of their user name or password, the IRS said. Passwords will have to contain at least one number, one uppercase and one lowercase letter, and one special character. The IRS said if a user's password doesn't meet the new requirements, the system will force the user to update the password the next time they log in.
Passwords will also expire after a prescribed period of time. Users won't be able to reuse the last 24 passwords, the IRS said, adding it will send e-mail notifications 30 days and again 20 days before a password expires. The agency still plans to use the 10-day e-mail notification it currently sends out.
The IRS said it also is making changes to the registration screen. The agency said it will:
- remove the word "expired,"
- change Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to Social Security number and Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (SSN/ITIN),
- update the user name rules,
- update help screens for password and user name,
- add a password link, and
- allow only 5 digits for the PIN.
Details of the security changes to e-services registration can be found here.
