Employee offboarding might seem like a routine administrative task, but recent research suggests it poses significant security risks, especially in today’s rapidly evolving workplace dynamics. A study conducted by Wing Security revealed that a staggering 63% of businesses may have former employees retaining access to organizational data, highlighting the importance of robust offboarding procedures. Automating Software as a Service, or “SaaS”, security can be pivotal in mitigating offboarding risks and safeguarding sensitive information.
Security Risks of Mass Layoffs
The first half of 2024 witnessed a wave of mass layoffs, affecting over 80,000 tech employees. Offboarding becomes even more challenging in such scenarios due to the sheer volume of departures. The average employee utilizes 29 different SaaS applications, making manual revocation of access time-consuming. Organizations risk exposing sensitive information without clear roles and consistent processes, paving the way for data breaches and compliance violations.
Four Risks of Poor Offboarding Practices
Proper offboarding is crucial for managing the lifecycle of employees and mitigating insider risks. Failing to revoke access for departing employees can lead to several risks:
- Data Breaches: Former employees retaining access to sensitive data can expose organizations to data breaches, resulting in financial losses and reputational damage.
- Compliance Violations: Weak offboarding processes can lead to non-compliance with industry regulations, attracting hefty fines and legal repercussions.
- Insider Threats: Improper offboarding creates opportunities for deliberate and accidental insider threats, jeopardizing business operations and information security.
- Intellectual Property Theft: Ex-employees retaining access to code repositories can lead to intellectual property theft, causing financial losses and competitive disadvantages.
Automation Best Practices
Implementing automation in SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) can streamline offboarding processes and reduce the risk of manual errors. Automation simplifies access revocation across multiple SaaS applications, enhances compliance efforts, and saves time and resources. By leveraging automation, organizations can ensure consistent and thorough offboarding, mitigating the risks associated with insider threats and data breaches.
How INSC Managed IT Support or Managed Service Provider (MSP) Can Help Clients
INSC Managed IT Support (MSP) offers comprehensive cybersecurity services, including automated offboarding solutions, to help clients protect their critical assets and information. Our experienced team ensures seamless offboarding processes, enabling organizations to mitigate insider risks and maintain regulatory compliance. Contact us today to learn how INSC MSP can bolster your cybersecurity defenses and safeguard your business against evolving threats.