Case Study

How a 200-Person CPA Firm Enabled Secure Work From Anywhere

A regional CPA firm with staff in multiple offices, states and countries needed a secure, consistent way to run its tax and accounting applications. TCI built a cloud-first platform combining Microsoft 365, virtualized applications, Check Point SASE and layered security monitoring, so employees can work securely from anywhere.

Organization: Regional CPA & accounting firm

Size: About 200 employees across multiple offices and remote locations

Services: Microsoft 365, application virtualization, secure remote access (SASE), managed security, device management

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accounting & financial IT services
200
employees across offices and remote locations
Multiple
countries with secure access
24/7
security monitoring with managed SIEM

The Challenge

The firm relies on Thomson Reuters tax and accounting applications, FileCabinet CS, QuickBooks, Sage and Microsoft 365, and its people work both in the office and remotely across multiple states and countries.

Work From Anywhere

A growing hybrid workforce was accessing applications from many locations and devices, including from other countries.

Too Many Remote-Access Tools

Multiple VPN and remote access solutions created complexity and support headaches.

Sensitive Financial Data

Client financial information had to stay protected, with particular concern around international access.

Limited Visibility

There was little insight into security threats and user activity, and no central management of identities and devices.

managed it services remote monitoring

What TCI Did

A secure, cloud-first architecture built around how an accounting firm actually works.

A Modern Workplace on Microsoft 365

Collaboration and files standardized on Microsoft 365, with central sign-in protection.

Included: SharePoint Online, OneDrive, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Entra ID, Conditional Access and Multi-Factor Authentication.

Virtualized Accounting Applications

Key tax and accounting applications delivered through a secure virtual environment, so staff get the same experience wherever they work.

Included: Thomson Reuters tax and accounting applications, FileCabinet CS, QuickBooks, Sage and other line-of-business accounting software.

Secure Remote Access (SASE)

A Check Point Secure Access Service Edge platform replaced legacy VPN limitations with identity-based, Zero Trust access.

Included: identity-based access controls, Zero Trust network access policies, country and geographic restrictions, application-level segmentation, secure connectivity for international users, and visibility into remote activity.

Endpoint & Identity Protection

Managed detection and response on every computer, plus monitoring of Microsoft 365 accounts for signs of compromise.

Included: Huntress Managed EDR (continuous monitoring, threat detection and response, ransomware protection, managed investigations) and Huntress ITDR (compromised-account detection, abnormal sign-in monitoring, business email compromise protection).

24/7 Security Monitoring (SIEM)

Security logs collected and correlated in one place, with around-the-clock visibility into suspicious activity.

Included: centralized log collection, security event correlation, threat alerting, and compliance and audit reporting support.

Central Device Management

Office and remote computers managed and secured from a single platform.

Included: Microsoft Intune, Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Defender security controls, compliance policies, and automated device provisioning and updates.

Before & After

Before

  • ✕Multiple VPN and remote access tools to support
  • ✕Inconsistent access to tax and accounting applications
  • ✕Limited visibility into threats and user activity
  • ✕No central management of identities and devices

After

  • ✓Check Point SASE with Zero Trust, identity-based access
  • ✓Virtualized apps with the same experience anywhere
  • ✓24/7 SIEM monitoring plus Huntress EDR and ITDR
  • ✓Devices and identities managed in Intune and Entra ID

The Results

The firm transformed into a secure, highly mobile, cloud-enabled organization.

Secure Access Worldwide

Employees can work securely from multiple countries, with a consistent experience in every office and remote location.

Less Reliance on VPN

Reduced dependence on traditional VPN infrastructure and simpler management of accounting and tax applications.

Better Collaboration

Improved teamwork through Microsoft 365 and OneDrive.

Stronger Protection

Enhanced defense against ransomware and identity-based attacks.

Greater Visibility

Clear insight into cybersecurity threats through SIEM monitoring, and a stronger compliance posture for sensitive financial data.

Productive Tax Seasons

Improved employee productivity during peak tax season.

The Business Impact

The firm now has a modern workplace that supports a distributed accounting workforce with enterprise-grade security. Microsoft 365, virtualized application delivery, Check Point SASE, Huntress EDR and ITDR, and managed SIEM give employees secure access to the tools they need from anywhere, and give leadership confidence that client data remains protected. Today the firm runs on a scalable, secure and highly available platform that supports continued growth.

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