Following the online attack that allowed criminals to steal personal information and divert tax refunds from tens of thousands of taxpayers, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced a sweeping effort to increase protections against identity theft and fraud, The New York Times reports. The agency has promised to require a more rigorous authentication process by early next year, well before the April 15 tax filing deadline. IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said, “changes are being built into the DNA of the entire tax system.” He added the agency is dealing with a “much more sophisticated enemy than in the past.” (Registration may be required to access this story.)
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