Use Cases:Automate FTC Safeguards Compliance for MSPs in Accounting

Overview

Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) handle some of the most sensitive data in business. From Social Security numbers and bank account details to tax returns and payroll records, the PII in their care are extremely confidential, and therefore worth a lot of money on the Dark Web.

FTC Overview

That makes them prime targets for cybercriminals.

The FTC Safeguards Rule requires CPA firms to implement and maintain a comprehensive, written information security program to protect client data. They stepped up enforcement in 2024, and violations can now result in civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation per day, not to mention the reputational damage and potential lawsuits.  

For MSPs supporting CPA firms, delivering scalable, efficient, and audit-ready Safeguards Rule compliance services isn’t just a value-add. It’s essential for client retention, profitability, and positioning yourself competitively. 

CyberGuard360’s Compliance-as-a-Service (CaaS)

platform empowers MSPs to:

Automate FTC Safeguards Compliance Workflows

Automate FTC Safeguards
compliance workflows

Centralize and Track Risk Assessments, Policies, and Training

Centralize and track
risk assessments,
policies, and training

Audit-Ready Documentation

Provide branded, audit-ready
documentation through an
all-in-one whitelabeled portal

The result? Less manual work, lower service delivery costs, and better client protection. You can do all of this while still meeting (and even exceeding!) Safeguards Rule requirements. 

The Challenge

MSPs managing CPA firm clients face several unique compliance challenges:

1

Complex Requirements: The Safeguards Rule mandates regular risk assessments, written policies, employee training, access controls, and incident response planning. These must ALL be documented and up to date. Without automation, that can be arduous to manually track.

2
Audit Readiness: CPA firms can be audited by both the FTC and state-level regulators. These agencies often require immediate access to detailed compliance records.
3
Limited Internal IT Resources: Many small-to-mid-sized firms have little or no dedicated IT staff, so they rely on their MSP for complete oversight of compliance. This creates significant obstacles to scaling your MSP, and general business growth.
4
Client Education Gaps: Non-technical staff may struggle to understand their security responsibilities, leading to policy violations and increased risk.
5
Manual Processes:  Gathering evidence, tracking training, and maintaining policy acknowledgments across multiple clients is time-consuming and error-prone without the assistance of automation
6
High Stakes: Breaches can trigger not just fines but also lawsuits, loss of licenses, and irreparable client trust issues.

The common denominator to all of these problems? Manual processes take up a massive amount of time, resources and valuable personnel. 

The solution? Implement robust automation throughout your tech stack, and let people take over responsibility for tasks that require human innovation and brainpower. This includes overseeing that these systems run efficiently and effectively! 

So how can you start automating important compliance processes? 

The Solution

CyberGuard360’s CaaS Platform

CyberGuard360’s CaaS platform is built to simplify FTC Safeguards Rule compliance for MSPs serving CPA firms, automating tedious tasks while improving their data security posture in a meaningful way for your clients. That makes you stand out in an overcrowded market. 

FTC Solution

With CaaS, MSPs can:

Automate Risk Assessment

Automate Risk Assessments –
to quickly identify vulnerabilities in accordance with Safeguards Rule mandates. 

Manage Policies

Manage Policies Centrally –
with 150+ customizable templates, which you can assign to users or groups, and track their acknowledgments in real time.

Deliver Security Awareness Training

Deliver Security Awareness Training –
designed to reduce human error and align with the Rule’s employee education requirements. 

Generate Audit Ready Report

Generate Audit-Ready Reports –
to demonstrate compliance to regulators at a moment’s notice.

Track Multi Client Compliances

Track Multi-Client Compliance –
from a single dashboard, thereby reducing overhead and improving scalability.

Provided Branded Client Portals

Provide Branded Client Portals –
that give firms transparency into their own compliance status, even encouraging them to stay up-to-date. This helps foster trust and accountability as well! 

Provide CPA clients with documented, audit-ready proof of compliance. You’ll be able to handle dozens of CPA clients without having to increase your staff!  

Partnering with CyberGuard360 gives MSPs a proven way to deliver FTC Safeguards compliance while boosting efficiency and profitability. Strengthen trust with your clients by protecting their data and reducing their risk exposure.

The FTC Safeguards Rule isn’t optional — and neither is proactive compliance.

With CyberGuard360’s CaaS platform, MSPs can deliver automated risk assessments, centralized policy management, and real-time compliance tracking. Help prospective and current client CPA firms stay secure, pass audits, and protect their reputation! 

 In today’s accounting industry, security and compliance aren’t just regulatory boxes to check. They’re critical to competitive success. 

Protect client data. Simplify compliance. Grow your MSP business. Partner with CyberGuard360.