When employees leave your business, disabling their access to company systems is often overlooked. While this task may seem minor, leaving ex-employee logins active can expose your business to major cybersecurity risks. Unused accounts become open doors for cybercriminals, insider threats, and even costly subscription fees if unmanaged services remain active.

For small and medium-sized businesses in the GTA and Simcoe County, where cybersecurity risks are rising, it’s time to take action. Here’s how to secure your business by managing ex-employee accounts effectively.

Why Ignoring Ex-Employee Logins Is a Major Security Risk

Failing to deactivate old employee accounts puts your entire business at risk. Studies show that nearly half of businesses have unmonitored accounts from former employees—creating significant vulnerabilities.

1. Unused Logins Lead to Data Breaches

Inactive accounts left connected to your network create easy entry points for hackers. Cybercriminals often scan for old, forgotten logins and use them to:

  • Access Confidential Data: Client files, financial records, and proprietary business data are all at risk.
  • Steal Sensitive Information: Customer lists, intellectual property, and trade secrets can be exploited.
  • Cause Operational Disruptions: Unauthorized access can lead to system downtime, disrupting your business.

2. Subscription Costs for Unused Services

Old logins are often tied to active software subscriptions. If ex-employee accounts remain linked to paid services, you might still be charged for tools you no longer use. This can cause:

  • Wasted IT Budgets: Paying for software licenses you no longer need.
  • Shadow IT Issues: Unmonitored services operating outside your IT department’s control.

3. Insider Threats Are Real

While not common, disgruntled former employees with active logins can cause serious harm, including:

  • Deleting or corrupting essential files.
  • Leaking sensitive company information.
  • Disrupting business operations.

If you want to learn more about insider threats, click here.

How to Secure Your Business from Ex-Employee Risks

Preventing security breaches caused by inactive accounts is simple if you follow a few key steps:

1. Conduct a Comprehensive Account Audit

  • Review all current accounts across platforms, including cloud-based services, email, and internal systems.
  • Identify any active accounts linked to former employees and revoke access immediately.

2. Implement a Strong Offboarding Process

Make offboarding employees a formalized, repeatable process. This should include:

  • Access Termination: Revoke system access on the employee’s last working day.
  • Device Collection: Collect all company-issued devices such as laptops, phones, and security tokens.
  • Password Resets: Reset shared account credentials that the ex-employee might have used.

3. Centralize Access Control

Use Identity and Access Management (IAM) tools to streamline access control. IAM systems help by:

  • Managing permissions from a single platform.
  • Automating account deactivation during offboarding.
  • Tracking login activity for added security.

4. Cancel Unnecessary Subscriptions

Audit all active software subscriptions and licenses. Cancel services linked to former employees to avoid unnecessary costs and potential security risks.

5. Perform Regular Security Audits

Schedule regular IT security reviews to identify security gaps caused by inactive accounts. Consider partnering with a trusted IT service provider to:

  • Conduct detailed cybersecurity assessments.
  • Implement industry-leading security practices.
  • Stay ahead of emerging cyber threats.

How MYDWARE IT Solutions Can Help

At MYDWARE IT Solutions Inc., we specialize in helping small and medium-sized businesses in the GTA and Simcoe County strengthen their cybersecurity posture. Our expert team conducts comprehensive IT audits, implements secure offboarding procedures, and ensures your business is protected against data breaches and insider threats—so if you feel like your business is in danger, you can take our FREE Cybersecurity Risk Assessment NOW!