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Many think cyber security doesn’t have a role in hiring and firing, but would you hire someone to operate an expensive piece of equipment and let them figure it out on their own? If someone leaves your organization, do you allow them to keep the building keys?
Just like training new employees on equipment or taking away their keys when they leave, cyber security should be a crucial part of hiring new employees and when they leave. Every new hire or departure presents an opportunity to enhance the organization’s safety. If you don’t take the right steps, someone, with or without malicious intent, can compromise the privacy of the sensitive data your organization handles. Cyber security should play a role in every stage of the employee transition process.
Cyber Security in Hiring
During onboarding, organizations should take steps to ensure that new employees are properly trained on cyber security policies and procedures. This includes educating employees on the importance of data security, password management, and social engineering awareness. They should receive and be required to acknowledge that they understand relevant policies (e.g., acceptable use, incident response policies, etc.). Early and regular security awareness training is the most effective (and cost-effective) cyber security effort any organization of any size can make.
Having adequate documentation is crucial for any organization. It enables the creation and execution of a plan for efficient, secure hiring, ensuring new employees can quickly adapt and integrate into the team.
This means they can participate in team projects with the same training and knowledge as everyone else. Additionally, they’ll receive training in using the same systems and software the rest of the team uses, making collaboration easier.
Enabling the right access controls and immediately securing new hires’ systems are critical steps in the onboarding process. You wouldn’t want to give them a company computer with no antivirus software or lock them out of their company email account!
It is essential to take regular security awareness refreshers throughout your employment. Depending on your role, you may even need to distribute these refreshers to others. This will help you stay updated with the latest threats and vulnerabilities and ensure that you are ready to follow the latest cyber security best practices. If you are in a management role, it is crucial to ensure your team follows these practices as well.
Cyber Security in Firing (or just when someone leaves)
When an employee departs an organization, it is crucial to take swift, efficient steps to safeguard any data and assets they may have accessed or controlled during their tenure. This involves revoking the employee’s access to systems and data (i.e., email, servers, cloud drive, etc) and ensuring that sensitive information is archived securely.
Human Resources and IT should collaborate to develop a comprehensive checklist of steps and responsible parties for whenever someone leaves or joins your organization.
Where do you Go From Here?
Organizations can prevent cyber attacks (both accidental and intentional) by incorporating cybersecurity into the employee transition process.
- Have a comprehensive cyber security training program tailored to employees’ specific needs at all levels.
- Complete cyber security training regularly and engage with others to stay sharp.
- When additional training is needed, start a dialogue about how to fill that gap and strengthen the organization’s security awareness across the entire organization.
- Implement a zero-trust security model that minimizes the risk of unauthorized access to systems and data.
- Use technology solutions to automate security tasks and detect and respond to threats in real time.
- Help cultivate a security culture emphasizing cyber security’s importance and encouraging employees to report suspicious activity.
By implementing these steps, cybersecurity will become a top priority in your organization. Commonwealth Snetinal can help! We can work with you to develop effective policies and procedures and provide regular cybers security training. Click here for sign up for a free consultation, or contact us at (502) 234-5554
At Commonwealth Sentinel, we stay focused on cyber security so you can focus on other things.