A recent wave of layoffs in the tech industry has raised significant concerns about cybersecurity. With companies rushing to sever access for departing employees, it’s crucial to understand the potential risks involved and how to mitigate them effectively.
Key Risks During Layoffs
- Insider threats: Departing employees can inadvertently or deliberately take sensitive data. Inadequate offboarding could lead to potential data breaches, as highlighted by IBM’s statistic indicating that 83% of organisations reported insider threats in 2024.
- Lack of monitoring: The chaos during mass layoffs can lead to missed security checks regarding departing employees’ devices and accounts.
- Increased phishing attacks: Cybercriminals are quick to exploit layoffs for phishing and social engineering attacks, taking advantage of disarray and uncertainty in the workplace.
Mitigation Strategies for Safer Offboarding
- Revoke: Immediately deactivate access to all user accounts and systems.
- Collect: Retrieve all company devices and ensure data is securely erased.
- Check: Audit shared passwords and access rights, ensuring only necessary personnel retain access.
- Hand off: Transfer relevant files and documents to appropriate team members.
- Store: Secure any data needed for legal or audit compliance.
- Conduct exit interviews: Gather feedback and reinforce the importance of confidentiality post-departure.
The Role of Leadership and HR
Collaboration among IT, HR, and legal teams is essential to streamline the offboarding process. Transparency about layoffs can alleviate tension and prevent misinformation from spreading, ensuring that both departing and remaining employees feel supported.
Why should I read this?
If you’re in tech or manage a team, this article is a must-read. With layoffs becoming more common, understanding how they can impact cybersecurity is crucial. The piece not only highlights the risks but also offers practical strategies to safeguard your company’s data. You’ll be ahead of the game in protecting your organisation against potential breaches during these tumultuous times.
