We all know the drill: an employee informs, farewell cake is enjoyed and wishes are exchanged.

But via the HR paper stuff and goodbye, however, it goes to a critical phase that is often overlooked -employee failure from the point of view of IT security. What happens when this process is attracting? Unfortunately, the answer includes hidden security risks that can make your organization susceptible, especially with regard to the ghost of insider threats.

The dangers of a late employee -Offboarding

By delaying the conclusion of the offboarding process of an employee, the organization can actually suspend considerable risks.

Imagine a scenario: an employee steps down, but keeps for days, even weeks, on sensitive company data after his last working day. This is not a hypothetical situation; It is a frequent vulnerability that is deliberately or accidentally exploited by malicious insiders.

Here are some hidden security risks that are often overlooked during the offboarding of employees.

Data penalty

Annoyed former employees could copy confidential files, customer databases or intellectual property. This information can be used for personal profit, shared with competitors or even sold on the dark web, which leads to considerable financial and reputational damage.

System sabotage

Due to the remaining access, ex-employees can possibly interfere with critical systems, delete important data or introduce malware. The longer the delay, the greater the potential for widespread chaos and operational downtimes.

Account compromises

Inactive accounts are the main goals for cybercriminals. If not immediately deactivated, these accounts can be kidnapped and used as entry points for your network, whereby security measures are handling and affecting confidential information.

Forgotten joint login information

Employees often create or know common passwords for different systems or accounts. If these are not identified and changed during the offboarding process, former employees may be able to keep unauthorized access.

Unsecured personal devices

In today’s world of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), overwhelming employees may have corporate data on their personal laptops, tablets or telephones. Simply deactivating your company account does not automatically delete this data. Without clear guidelines and procedures to ensure that corporate data is removed from personal devices, confidential information can easily go out of the door.

Violations of compliance

Depending on your industry and the data you have managed, the delayed offboarding can lead to severe regulatory penalties. Data protection laws often require the timely revocation of access rights when departing an employee.

Security concerns of employees offboarding

In addition to the risks associated with delays, the offboarding process itself is several security concerns.

Inconsistent procedures are a risk that the organization can vary in the organization. Ad-hoc processes can rely on manual and can lead to supervision. Access rights may be overlooked, company devices may not be fully wiped out, and knowledge transfer can be incomplete, which creates vulnerabilities across the board.

Another terrible concern? Lack of central control. Without a uniform system for managing offboarding tasks, it can be difficult with the employees of any application and file to which you have access.

Protection of your organization

The reduction of these hidden risks requires a proactive and comprehensive approach for the offboarding of employees. This includes:

• A detailed offboarding checklist: Make sure that all physical and digital access points will be identified and revoked immediately.
• BYOD management guidelines: Implement clear guidelines for the processing of company data on personal devices during offboarding, including data wiping protocols.
• Structured knowledge transfer: Prioritize the transfer of knowledge, especially for critical roles, to ensure that security -relevant information is not lost.
• Safety-oriented exit interviews: Insert security-relevant questions in exit interviews to uncover possible weaknesses.
• Regular audits of access and permissions: Check user access and permissions regularly to identify and remove unnecessary authorizations themselves for active employees.
• Automation, where possible: By automating parts of the offboarding process, such as B. the access stock, the risk of human errors can be reduced.
• Clear communication and training: Inform the employees about your responsibility in terms of data security, even if you leave.

Are you wondering how to deal with offboarding during the mass decisions? Take a look at this blog here.

Get your offboarding with Biz Innovates automatically

The investment in automated employees of employees is not just about optimizing administrative tasks. It is a crucial investment in your company’s security.

By proactive combating the hidden risks associated with the departures of the employees, you can significantly reduce the potential for insider threats, protect your valuable assets and maintain the trust of your stakeholders.

Do not wait for a safety incident to highlight the importance of a robust offboarding strategy. Implement automated solutions today and attach your defense from the inside.