Active Identity of Departed Employee

Risk Category

Lifecycle Management

Risk Description

Learn how former employees' NHIs can create high security risks and how to remove their access with smart lifecycle management.

Why It’s a Risk

If these identities are not immediately revoked, they can be exploited by malicious actors, leading to unauthorized access to systems. Former employees with lingering access could intentionally or unintentionally expose data or compromise system integrity, posing severe financial, operational, and reputational damage.

High, especially if offboarding processes are not automated or routinely audited.

High, as it can lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential insider threats.

Mitigation Strategy

Implement continuous NHI monitoring and lifecycle management to ensure timely deactivation of credentials immediately after employee offboarding. Regular audits and enforcing a Zero Trust model validate all access requests, preventing any unauthorized access by former employees.

Playbooks in Clutch

110