Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data

Summary

Thomson Reuters UltraTax CS 2017 on Windows has a password protection option; however, the level of protection might be inconsistent with some customers' expectations because the data is directly accessible in cleartext. Specifically, it stores customer data in unique directories (%install_path%\WinCSI\UT17DATA\client_ID\file_name.XX17) that can be bypassed without authentication by examining the strings of the .XX17 file. The strings stored in the .XX17 file contain each customer's: Full Name, Spouse's Name, Social Security Number, Date of Birth, Occupation, Home Address, Daytime Phone Number, Home Phone Number, Spouse's Address, Spouse's Daytime Phone Number, Spouse's Social Security Number, Spouse's Home Phone Number, Spouse's Occupation, Spouse's Date of Birth, and Spouse's Filing Status.