SaaS Offboarding: How to Prevent Security Risks When Employees Leave

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In September 2022, Uber faced a severe security breach when a hacker gained access to critical IT infrastructure using the still-active credentials of a former contractor. This incident highlights the importance of robust offboarding processes in today's SaaS-dominated landscape.

A 2024 study by Cybersecurity Ventures found that 72% of companies experienced security vulnerabilities due to improper offboarding procedures. With the average employee using over 30 SaaS applications, the risk of overlooking access points during offboarding is higher than ever.

Let's explore a comprehensive approach to SaaS offboarding that minimizes security risks and ensures compliance:

Implement an Automated Offboarding Workflow

Automation is key to consistent and thorough offboarding. Connect your HR system to your Identity and Access Management (IAM) tool to trigger offboarding processes automatically when an employee's status changes. For example, an HR system integrated with an IAM tool can trigger automatic offboarding workflows and prevent security gaps. Use SaaS management and discovery tools to identify and revoke access across all applications, including potential shadow IT.

Conduct a Thorough Access Review

While automation handles most access revocation, a manual review is crucial. Create a checklist that includes:
  • Review IAM dashboards for any remaining active accounts
  • Check collaboration tools for private channels or shared accounts
  • Verify revocation of access to sensitive data repositories
  • Review project management tools for admin privileges
  • Check code repositories and transfer ownership of personal repositories
Implement Just-in-Time Access Revocation

Minimize the risk window by staging access revocation:
  • Immediately revoke access to non-essential systems (such as expense management tools or company intranet)
  • Maintain limited access to essential systems until the last day (like email or primary work applications)
  • Implement a final "kill switch" to terminate all remaining access on the last day
Secure and Archive Data

Once access is revoked, ensure critical data is preserved and properly transferred:
  • IT department creates backups of the employee's work-related data
  • Archive email accounts in compliance with relevant regulations
  • Transfer ownership of important documents to appropriate team members
  • Generate access history reports for future reference
Consult with legal counsel to ensure compliance with data privacy and retention laws.

Conduct Post-Offboarding Audits

Regular audits catch overlooked access points:
  • Weekly: Review IAM logs for failed login attempts from deactivated accounts
  • Monthly: Scan for active licenses assigned to former employees
  • Quarterly: Comprehensively review all SaaS applications, including high-risk apps
These timeframes matter because weekly reviews catch immediate access issues, monthly scans ensure no lingering licenses, and quarterly audits provide a broader security check across all applications.

Foster a Culture of Security Awareness

Make offboarding security a team effort:
  • Include offboarding security in regular training sessions
  • Create an "Offboarding Security Checklist" for departing employees
  • Train managers to immediately notify IT of any team member departures
  • Incorporate offboarding security best practices into employee handbooks
By implementing these best practices, you can significantly reduce the risk of security breaches like the Uber incident, ensuring that no former employee's credentials become a liability. Remember, SaaS security is an evolving landscape. Regularly review and update your offboarding processes to address new applications and emerging threats.

Learn More

For more insights on managing SaaS contracts and security, visit www.cenplify.com.