The IRS has made progress improving IT but weaknesses remain in system access controls, audit trails, and remediation of security weaknesses, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration has said following an annual IT assessment.
It said that since last year’s assessment, the agency has taken important steps to correct system performance issues of the Modernized e-File system to deliver a successful filing season.
However,TIGTA identifiedseveral systems development problems. For example, existing data quality issues with the Customer Account Data Engine 2 database prevented downstream interfacesfrom being implemented, it said. Further, the development and implementation of new systems for the Affordable Care Act present major IT management challenges.
The IG also cited key improvements in some areas.It noted the IRShas reached an advanced stage with its IT Infrastructure Library, and Capability Maturity Model Integration – CMMI, which comprise a set of industry standard management practices designed to more efficiently deliver IT services and meld them with agency operations.
TIGTA also cited data center consolidation, the Aircard and BlackBerry smartphone program, and hardware and software management as areas where the IRS should be able to find savings going forward.
