If you work with sensitive data, it’s important to prioritize security during the employee offboarding process.
If your company works with data, you’re aware of how intense your onboarding process may be when adding new employees or contractors. It can include setting up access control credentials, giving network access and permissions, creating security policies that need to be acknowledged, and sometimes there’s even dedicated security awareness education. While onboarding processes tend to be somewhat complete, that just isn’t the case with offboarding – removing employees or contractors. Protecting your data is critical even during the employee offboarding process.
Create an Offboarding Checklist
Unfortunately, former employees can take data—whether intentionally or just through negligence. Creating an offboarding checklist is the best way to ensure that you take the proper steps in addressing your work environment, from personal devices, to cloud storage, to access control credentials. Gathering your security team and your IT team together to determine what needs to happen during offboarding is an essential part in protecting your data.
Work With HR
Beyond your IT and security experts, working alongside HR is essential as well. In order for this process to really take place and be effective, it’s necessary to have timely notification between HR and IT to ensure access to any sensitive data is revoked at the right time. In the cases of involuntary departures like terminations or layoffs, this collaborative process should happen before their last day.
Being Vigilant
Typically, data is taken within a month of departure. Once you receive notice from an employee, that’s when vigilance needs to start being taken seriously. Increased scrutiny around an employee’s departure time is often justified. It’s also good to talk openly with an employee about whether or not they have any information or data stored on personal devices or clouds, as sometimes data leaks can happen just due to negligence. Exit interviews are a fantastic opportunity to get a better idea of what access they still have and what sensitive data they may still have possession of.
Get in Touch with FiberPlus
FiberPlus has been providing data communication solutions for over 25 years in the Mid Atlantic Region for a number of different markets. What began as a cable installation company for Local Area Networks has grown into a leading provider of innovative technology solutions improving the way our customers communicate and keeping them secure. Our solutions now include:
- Structured Cabling (Fiberoptic, Copper and Coax for inside and outside plant)
- Electronic Security Systems (Access Control & CCTV Solutions)
- Wireless Access Point installations
- Public Safety DAS
- Audio/Video Services (Intercoms and Display Monitors)
- Support Services
- Specialty Systems
- Design/Build Services
FiberPlus promises the communities in which we serve that we will continue to expand and evolve as new technology is introduced within the telecommunications industry.
Have any questions? Interested in one of our services? Call FiberPlus today 800-394-3301, email us at info@fiberplusinc.com, or visit our contact page. Our offices are located in the Washington, DC metro area, Richmond, VA, and Columbus, OH. In Pennsylvania, please call Pennsylvania Networks, Inc. at 814-259-3999.
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