Protection of Accounting Data in the Conditions of Using Internet of Things: Problems and Prospects of Accounting Digitalization

Today, the development of accounting as an enterprise information system directly depends on the level of development of technological innovations that are used to collect and process accounting data. The purpose of the article is to analyze the features of the influence of the Internet of Things (IoT) use on the functioning of the accounting system and to find ways to protect accounting data in such conditions. The urgency of the problem of protection of accounting data security in the conditions of implementation of IoT-technologies in enterprises activity has been grounded. The essence of IoT and the reasons for its use in the activities of enterprises have been disclosed. The advantages of IoT implementation in accounting information systems of enterprises have been analyzed. The peculiarities of the development of accounting information systems based on the use of IoT have been analyzed. Prospects for the impact of IoT on the development of audit procedures have been identified. The main directions of application of IoT technologies in accounting and audit have been allocated (to improve accounting procedures; to improve the work of the accounting service; to improve the audit process). Problems of accounting data protection in the context of each of the selected directions have been disclosed. The main reservations of IoT implementation in accounting information systems from the point of view of accounting data security have been analyzed. The main ways to improve the accounting system and procedures for controlling the formation of accounting data as a result of the implementation of IoT have been disclosed. Authors' attention is focused on the need to improve the security of accounting data when collecting and transferring them using IoT-tools because if all elements of the information system are not properly protected from unauthorized interference, instead of benefit, they will harm, providing cybercriminals with a loophole to undermine information security.