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I'm moving my sites to a new server this month. Sticking with the same host, but I need a little more speed and flexibility. I had planned on making the ATX Community one of the first few sites to go, but it looks like you folks are dealing with enough website-related turmoil for the moment, so I'll hold off and save this site for last. When it is time to move, there will be some minor downtime--I'll need to shut down the site during the move which will take about an hour, and then it'll be another hour or two (give or take) for the domain's DNS settings to propagate. Inevitably, there will be one or two members who won't see the new site for an extended period of time because their ISP's DNS servers are garbage. In cases like that, I highly recommend using a 3rd party DNS service for your entire network. Cloudflare DNS (I use this for my home network (router configuration) and on my cell phone) OpenDNS Google Public DNS I'll post again with an update as I get closer to the end of my site transfers.

I know you will take good care of us, and I have NO idea whatsoever about all the DNS commentary.

Bit of an over-reaction, don't you think? Yeah, it sucks. But we do know that they were attacked and they are trying to get their system back up. I have no love for ATX, but I am feeling for them right now. Cleaning up this mess is going to be a pain, and it is important that they don't expose us to the malware that attacked them. Tom Modesto, CA

This is key. We never really own software, we're just licensed to use it, and we agree to the TOS without ever reading it.

I do kind of appreciate the irony that they make us change our password with THEM every few months and it cannot be one that you have used in the last 10 times. Overkill? I always thought so. Apparently those same protocols were not quite as rigorous internally. I like the quote one user posted on the Krebson page: “We take security seriously” actually means “We didn’t take security seriously enough.”

Do you pay hard cash for everything? Your credit card / debit card number is being used to monitor and record your purchase history for future advertising by the bank itself and at many retailers. Ever sign up for the discount card at Walgreens or the grocery store - yep. Which operating system are you using on your computers? Hope it's not MS or Apple. Do you have a cell phone? Apple and Android (Google) are monitoring all of your activity and unless you take action could even be monitoring your location at all times. Microsoft and Apple always know when you are at your desk because they monitor when you log in and log out or time out of their software.

Have you/client tried the Taxpayer Advocate? Friendly, local Congressperson? Maybe even a tax attorney, depending on the issue(s). I think the form letters are generated by a computer, and you won't get a real person involved, certainly not the level of person you need.

Here is another article which seems to imply it was actually ATX which which started this: https://krebsonsecurity.com/2019/05/whats-behind-the-wolters-kluwer-tax-outage/

Maybe more users will find and join this forum. We seemed to have more than the usual number join this year already.

I'm sorry, if this is a stupid question, but I just got back from Scotland and I have been afraid to open any of my programs for fear that my computer could be infected. My computer has been shut down for 10 days, so I have just been reading reddit, FB, etc. and I just wanted to make sure that by opening the program, that nothing could come back to haunt me. I'm not even sure that it won't haunt me later if any data was received by the hackers. Thanks! Bonnie

I think it’s safe to open. How was Scotland? I’ve always wanted to go there. Seriously.

have you tried working with a taxpayer advocate?

"To help mitigate the risk of infection, Sophos recommended putting any machines using RDP behind a VPN, and to employ two factor authentication (2FA) to replace all admin password" Interesting since Microsoft has announced that it is moving away from using passwords. I suspect we will all be moving away from passwords to 2 factor authentication or even more complicated sign on requirements.

More general articles about this ransomware spreading: https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/matrixthemed-ransomware-megacortex-1/ https://siliconangle.com/2019/05/06/matrix-themed-megacortex-ransomware-rapidly-spreading-across-corporate-networks/

I haven't been able to e-file for 2 days now. I'm getting concerned because it looks like ATX appears to have a major problem! If they have been compromised, this can set off a firestorm that could even put OUR clients in serious jeopardy!! All these tax software companies better invest in state-of-the-art, cutting-edge encryption software (preferably quantum cryptography) that will never let the hackers decipher the data.

https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/the-wolters-kluwer-cch-outage-what-happened

Way to find the bright side in this!!

Just wondering, what browser and search engine do you use ?

I recommend strongly AGAINST a wifi system (instead of wired). More and more cybersecurity risks. Here in MA, if a client's confidential information is taken and they trace it to me or my systems, my business is toast. As am I.

I recently checked it out and come January 2020 you can extend 7 by paying per computer. I read it will be $50 first year, then $100 the second and I think $150 the last year. I was planning on getting a new computer, now not sure as my current one works well. Will probably extend either way, it's only money, we can always make more.

Surviving spouses do not need to file a 1310 but it's a good thing you sent it anyway. I had a client who received an IRS notice demanding the 1310, which I replied to by sending them their own form instructions stating surviving spouses don't need to file (and there is no where on the 1310 to check an appropriate box). I've had not one but two clients who had the checks issued to the deceased spouse. Both times the IRS apologized, but it mad me angry that these poor people who recently lost their spouses had to go through the hassle.