Original LinkedIn update

SMB Owners: Your Biggest Security Risk Might Be An Employee Who Left 8 Months Ago.

Most businesses think offboarding means:

Collect the laptop.
Forward the inbox.
Remove them from payroll.
Move on.

And honestly, that might seem like it makes sense.
Nobody has time to audit every app, login, shared folder, CRM, inbox, and admin panel every time someone leaves.

But this is where SMBs get exposed.

You may have a problem if:

– Former employees still have active Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace
accounts
– Old users still exist in QuickBooks, Dropbox, Slack, CRMs, or project tools
– Shared passwords were never changed after someone left
– Admin access was given “temporarily” and never reviewed again
– Nobody knows exactly which systems each employee had access to
– The phrase “I think we removed them” comes up during offboarding

This is called the ghost account problem.
A ghost account is any login that belongs to someone who no longer works with you but still has access to company systems, files, or data.

And it’s dangerous because attackers love accounts nobody is watching.

Instead of treating offboarding as a loose checklist, treat it like an access shutdown process.

Do this instead:

• Keep a simple list of every system each employee can access
• Remove or disable accounts the same day someone leaves
• Review admin accounts monthly
• Change shared passwords immediately after departures
• Use role-based access so people only have what they need

Think of it like changing the locks after someone moves out.

You wouldn’t let an old tenant keep a key because “they probably won’t use it.”

So don’t let an old employee account keep access to your business.

Hit save and review your old accounts this week.
DM me “OFFBOARDING” if you want a simple employee access removal checklist.

#Cybersecurity #SmallBusinessIT #SMBSecurity #ITSupport #BusinessSecurity

Originally shared on LinkedIn.

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Need help applying this to your business? Contact Technic Consulting to talk through cybersecurity, Microsoft 365, backups, networks, or managed IT support.