The Hidden Risks of Inactive Accounts

When an employee leaves, it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of daily responsibilities and forget to remove their login accounts. It’s a common oversight—thinking you’ll deal with it later. However, these unused logins can pose significant security risks, leaving your organisation vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Plus, if you’re still paying for subscriptions that are no longer in use, that’s an unnecessary hit to your budget. A recent study revealed that nearly half of businesses have accounts they don’t actively manage.

If you’ve lost track of an account, it’s likely it isn’t being monitored, which increases your exposure to potential threats. These aren’t just theoretical dangers; many cloud security incidents stem from compromised inactive accounts and login details.

So what should you do?

Take a moment to review all the accounts and login information associated with your business. Ensure that there are no active accounts for former employees and confirm that their access has been completely revoked—not simply left dormant.

This also applies to any software or service you might have stopped using; you could be unknowingly shelling out money for something you’ve neglected for months or even years. Moving forward, establish a clear protocol for handling departures and regularly assess the applications and services your company relies on.

We’ve helped many businesses create defined leaver process and much of the work automated, so with a simple form completed the right people know what actions to take to deactivate the account.

If you’re unsure where to begin, we’re here to assist with a security review so you can safeguard your business against unnecessary risks. Get in touch.