Senate Hearing on IRS Data Breach and Taxpayer Security

Original title: THE IRS DATA BREACH: STEPS TO PROTECT AMERICANS' PERSONAL INFORMATION

Record date · January 1, 2016

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What This Bill Does

This Senate hearing addresses a security breach involving the IRS '' program, which resulted in unauthorized access to approximately 100,000 taxpayer accounts. The committee examined the s used by the IRS and other federal agencies to prevent identity theft and fraudulent tax refund claims.

Why it matters

The breach led to the filing of approximately 13,000 fraudulent tax returns, directly impacting the security of taxpayer personal information and the integrity of federal tax refund processing.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Taxpayers

Individuals whose personal information was accessed through the 'Get Transcript' program and potentially used for fraudulent tax filings.

Directly affected

Internal Revenue Service

The agency responsible for managing the compromised system and addressing the resulting fraudulent tax filings.

Key Facts

Approximately 100,000 taxpayer 'Get Transcript' accounts were compromised in the breach.
The IRS identified approximately 13,000 fraudulent tax returns filed using information obtained from the breach.
The IRS has shut down the 'Get Transcript' program in response to the security incident.
The hearing was held on June 2, 2015, by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Show all 6 facts

The breach involved unauthorized access to taxpayer information used to file fraudulent returns to claim tax refunds.
The committee is investigating authentication and security systems across multiple federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.