The Quiet Threat Inside Your Business: Offboarding Gaps

When we talk about cybersecurity, most people picture firewalls, phishing emails, or ransomware. But one of the most overlooked threats to your organization is much quieter: former employees who still have access to your systems.

The Risk You Can’t See
The danger of poor offboarding is not just theoretical, it’s measurable. In a recent study, 56% of respondents admitted to using their continued digital access to actively harm a former employer, and 24% said they intentionally kept a password after leaving the company. That means nearly one in four former employees are walking out the door with keys to your network, and more than half are willing to use them.

Whether it involves accessing client data, deleting files, or disrupting operations, these actions can lead to serious financial and legal consequences. Without a strict offboarding process, your business may never see the next threat coming.

Real-World Fallout
This is not a hypothetical risk. A recent study by OneLogin revealed that 20% of organizations have experienced data breaches caused by former employees. Whether it is due to revenge, negligence, or simple oversight, these gaps can lead to compliance violations, data leaks, or serious business disruptions.

Why It’s So Common
Manual offboarding processes are time-consuming and error prone. According to TechRepublic, 32% of former employees retain access for more than a week after departure, and 20% for more than a month. In many cases, no one owns the complete offboarding checklist across departments, and IT only learns about a departure after it is too late.

How to Close the Gaps

• Inform your IT service provider immediately. As soon as an employee is terminated or resigns, notify your IT team so they can promptly disable all user accounts, revoke access to sensitive data, and recover company-owned devices.
• Centralize and automate access management. Work with your provider to implement identity and access management (IAM) tools that streamline offboarding and reduce the chance of oversight.
• Create a documented checklist. Make sure HR, IT, and department managers follow a consistent, end-to-end process every time.
• Audit regularly. Perform quarterly access reviews to identify unused or orphaned accounts.

Make Security Part of the Exit Process
A secure offboarding process is not just about protecting your data. It is about protecting your people, your clients, and your reputation. The sooner you address these access risks, the safer your organization will be.

If you are unsure whether your offboarding process is leaving you exposed, we can help.

Let’s close the gaps before they become headlines.

Connect with our team today to audit and secure your employee offboarding process.