Bye, Bye, But Not Your Data
When an employee leaves your organization, the potential for data breaches can increase significantly. Former employees may inadvertently or maliciously take sensitive data with them, creating risks for your business. Implementing robust data protection practices is essential to safeguarding your organization’s information. Here are the top data protection practices to follow when an employee exits.
Data Protection Practices
1) Revoke Access Immediately: As soon as an employee leaves or is terminated, immediately revoke their access to company systems, networks, and databases. This includes email accounts, cloud storage, internal applications, and any other digital resources. Delaying this step can lead to unauthorized access, potential data theft, and other cybersecurity issues.
Pro Tip: Automate the deactivation process using an Identity and Access Management (IAM) system to ensure no access points are missed.
2) Conduct an Exit Interview with a Security Focus: During the exit interview, emphasize the importance of data confidentiality and remind the departing employee of any non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) they signed. Discuss their responsibilities regarding company data and request the return of any physical devices like laptops, smartphones, or USB drives.
Pro Tip: Include a checklist to ensure all company property and data are accounted for and returned.
3) Monitor for Unusual Activity: After revoking access, monitor for any unusual activity. Check logs for attempts to access systems or data post-departure. Unusual download or email forwarding patterns before the employee’s last day can be red flags indicating data exfiltration.
Pro Tip: Use security information and event management (SIEM) tools to automate and streamline the monitoring process.
4) Change Passwords & Tokens: Change passwords and invalidate any tokens or certificates associated with the departing employee. This step is crucial to ensure that no lingering credentials can be used to access company systems.
Pro Tip: Implement a password manager that can handle bulk password changes efficiently.
5) Secure Physical Assets: Collect all company-owned devices and storage media from the departing employee. Conduct a thorough inventory check to ensure nothing is missing. Secure these assets and wipe any data stored on them.
Pro Tip: Use disk encryption tools to safeguard data on physical devices, ensuring that even if they go missing, the data remains protected.
6) Backup and Archive Emails & Files: Before deactivating accounts, backup and archive the departing employee’s emails, files, and other data. This ensures that no critical business information is lost and can be accessed if needed for future reference or legal purposes.
Pro Tip: Establish a clear data retention policy that outlines how long these archives should be kept and when they can be securely deleted.
7) Update Access Controls & Permissions: Review and update access controls and permissions across your systems. Ensure that the departing employee’s access rights are completely removed and not inadvertently left in place.
Pro Tip: Regularly audit your access controls to identify and rectify any anomalies or oversights.
8) Communicate with Relevant Teams: Inform relevant teams and stakeholders about the employee’s departure. This includes IT, HR, and the employee’s immediate team. Clear communication ensures everyone is aware of the situation and can take necessary precautions.
Pro Tip: Use a standard operating procedure (SOP) for offboarding to ensure consistency and thoroughness in communication.
9) Conduct a Final Data Audit: Perform a final audit of the employee’s data usage and activity. Check for any data transfers, deletions, or unusual behavior leading up to their departure. This helps identify any potential data breaches or exfiltration attempts.
Pro Tip: Implement data loss prevention (DLP) solutions to detect and respond to suspicious data movements.
10) Reinforce Data Security Training: Regularly reinforce data security training for all employees. Ensure they understand the importance of data protection and the risks associated with data breaches. Emphasize that data security is a continuous responsibility, even when leaving the organization.
Pro Tip: Use interactive training modules and real-world scenarios to make the training engaging and effective.
11) Legal & Compliance Review: Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements related to data protection. This may include industry-specific regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, or others. Conduct a review to ensure all steps taken align with legal obligations.
Pro Tip: Keep abreast of changes in data protection laws and update your policies and procedures accordingly.
Partnering With a Trusted MSP
Employee departures can pose significant data security risks, but with the right practices in place, you can mitigate these risks effectively. Remember, a proactive approach to data protection not only safeguards your business but also fosters a culture of security awareness and responsibility. Ensure these practices are part of your standard offboarding process to keep your data safe and sound, even when employees move on. Consider partnering with Entre Technology Services as your MSP where we can help you start implementing these practices and optimize your employee offboarding process. Here at Entre, we are guided by three core values that encapsulate our ethos: Embrace the Hustle, Be Better & Invest in Others. These values serve as our compass and are what guide our business model and inspire us to create successful and efficient solutions to everyday IT problems. Contact us for a free quote today!
