The short-term delay means that taxpayers will not be able to secure new accounts through a program called Secure Access, which allows them access to online documents and transcripts. Those taxpayers who now have accounts will not be affected, the agency said.
The ruling comes after media reports beginning today that the Equifax website may have been jeopardized a second time. The embattled credit-reporting business disclosed in September that it had been chopped earlier this year and the data of as common as 145.5 million Americans had been breached.
The IRS plans to resume reviewing the security of Equifax’s operations during the suspension. The agency had earlier said its hands were tied and it had to keep the agreement with Equifax.
“The IRS indicated that there is still no evidence of any compromise of the limited IRS data shared under the agreement. The contract suspension is being taken as a discreet step as the IRS continues its review,” agency spokesman Matthew Leas said in a comment.
Lawmakers heavily scrutinized the agency’s decision to award the $7.2 million deal to Equifax which News first reported after the data breach. In messages to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen.
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