The massive wave of layoffs in 2024 has introduced a cybersecurity threat that many business owners are overlooking: the offboarding of employees. Even well-known brands including employees.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

The issue is expected to worsen. According to NerdWallet 254 jobs were eliminated in the first quarter of 2024 alone.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Whether or not you anticipate downsizing your team this year big or small. It is more than a routine administrative task; it is a critical security precaution. Failing to revoke access for former employees can lead to serious business and legal implications.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Some of these issues include:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

- Theft of Intellectual Property: Former employees can abscond with your company's files it harms your business.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

- Compliance Violations: Failing to revoke access privileges and remove employees from authorized user lists can result in noncompliance in heavily regulated industries. This simple oversight can lead to large fines legal consequences.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

- Data Deletion: If a former employee feels unfairly laid off and retains access to their accounts you could lose everything.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

For those thinking and the aggravation and distraction of dealing with it all are often greater than any damages you might be awarded if you win the lawsuit.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

- Data Breach: This could be the most terrifying risk of all. Unhappy employees who feel wronged can make your business the subject of the next devastating data breach headline or trade secrets.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Do you have an airtight offboarding process to mitigate these risks? Chances are you don't. A 2024 study by Wing revealed that one in five organizations has indications that some of their former users were not properly offboarded and these are the organizations astute enough to detect it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

How do you effectively offboard a client?<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\u25cf Apply the Principle of Least Privilege - Effective offboarding begins with thorough onboarding. Employees should be granted access only to the files and programs necessary for their roles. This access should be carefully documented to facilitate smoother offboarding.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\u25cf Utilize Automation - Your IT team can employ automation to revoke access to multiple software applications simultaneously. This approach saves time and resources while minimizing the risk of manual errors.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\u25cf Implement Continuous Monitoring - Deploy software that tracks user activities on the company network. This can help you detect suspicious behavior from unauthorized users and determine if a former employee still has access to private accounts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

These are just a few strategies your IT team can use to enhance your offboarding process making it more efficient and secure.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Insider threats can be catastrophic and assuming it won't happen to you is a mistake. Proactive measures are essential to safeguarding your organization.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

To find out if any gaps in your offboarding process expose you to theft or a data breach