If you could create your own fantasy board of directors, who would be on it? CO— connects you with thought leaders from across the business spectrum and asks them to help solve your biggest business challenges. In this edition, we ask a cybersecurity leader to discuss how to remove digital access after employees leave your company.
In this edition of “Ask the Board,” we feature Sergio Sousa, Executive Leader of AccessMule, a cybersecurity company that supports small- and medium-size businesses with granting, managing, auditing, sharing, storing, and removing employee access.
When employees leave your company, it’s up to you to restrict access and permissions to various technical tools and accounts. Failure to do so can increase the risk for costly data breaches that can take a serious toll on your finances and reputation.
Sousa shares five tips how you can incorporate a security process into your offboarding process and ensure your sensitive and confidential information stays secure.
Keep centralized and up-to-date records
First and foremost, it’s important to understand who has access to what. While you can take the old-fashioned route and use a spreadsheet to keep tabs on employee access, a software solution can save you a lot of time and hassle. As long as you choose a reputable software solution, you’ll be able to log in and quickly find out which permissions each employee has.
Implement an approval workflow to grant access
While this step is often overlooked, it’s important. When an employee joins your company, there should be a process that grants them access to the tech and accounts they need. Make sure the process is automated and consistent to avoid gaps.
There are solutions out there that are specifically geared toward small businesses that offer flexible, month-to-month pricing. Plus, you can usually try them out for free to make the most informed decision for your unique company.
Automate access restriction as part of the offboarding process
As soon as an employee departs, remove their access. With software in place, you can simply delete the user. The software generates a workflow that tasks permission owners to immediately revoke access.
Be mindful of shared permissions
Many permissions are shared across teams, meaning multiple employees often have access to the same tools with the same credentials. If one employee leaves, you should immediately change or reset the password to maintain security. An automated system can identify whether an employee who is leaving shared access and automatically request a different password.
Shop around for software
While software isn’t required, it can improve security and simplify your method of restricting employee access, and it can streamline the offboarding process. Fortunately, there are solutions out there that are specifically geared toward small businesses that offer flexible, month-to-month pricing. Plus, you can usually try them out for free to make the most informed decision for your unique company.
CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.
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