Government service made an important address to the population

The State Tax Service (STS) of Azerbaijan has urged users to be vigilant and take preventive security measures amid increasing cases of theft of user credentials for logging into the Internet Tax Administration (https://www.e-taxes.gov.az).

As reported by BAKU.WS, to prevent such threats and ensure data security, the STS recommends taxpayers, land users, and heads of family farms specified in Articles 218.4.1 and 220.10 of the Tax Code to stop using user codes, passwords, and ciphers, and switch to more secure types of enhanced electronic signatures (Sima, Asan İmza, etc.).

The STS advises replacing the current password with a more complex one consisting of at least 8 characters, including uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters (@, #, !, %). At the same time, you should not use the same password for different accounts.

To protect against phishing attacks, the STS recommends not clicking on links from unknown emails and messages, not sharing passwords with strangers, not downloading files from unverified sources, ignoring requests to enter passwords in emails and SMS supposedly sent on behalf of banks or social networks.

"Always verify the authenticity of links. For example, the correct portal address is https://www.e-taxes.gov.az, while a phishing one might look like https://www.e-taxes-secure.gov.az," the agency explained.

For safe use of Wi-Fi and VPN connections, the STS advises activating the WPA3 or WPA2 security protocol, especially in public networks (cafes, airports).

"Always use a reliable VPN and only websites with HTTPS protocol (not http://). Install licensed antivirus and firewall software, and update them regularly. Remove unknown programs and extensions from your computer.

In internet browsers and on devices, it is recommended to disable automatic login to the portal (the "remember me" function), log out of the system after use (especially on public computers), delete saved passwords or use "password managers". Regularly update your software (Android, iOS, Windows, macOS), do not download programs from unknown sources. In case of a data breach, log out of the system on all devices and immediately change your credentials," the message states.

The STS also reminded that to change the user code, password, and cipher in the Internet Tax Administration, you need to click the "Login" button, enter your current data, select the "E-bəyannamə, ƏDV-DH və ŞHV" section and log into the system. Then in the "Changes" menu, click "Change password", enter a new password and confirm it.

"To change the Asan İmza user ID on the portal, log into your personal account, specify the number and current ID, then in the "Settings" section click "Change Asan İmza user ID", enter a new ID and confirm the operation using the PIN-1 code from SMS. You can also change the ID through the AsanDoc program on your computer," the agency added.