Businesses rely on employees to access the systems, applications, files, and data they need to perform their jobs. However, providing unrestricted access to every employee can create unnecessary cybersecurity risks.
Employee access controls are an important part of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. By limiting access based on job responsibilities and business requirements, organizations can reduce the potential impact of compromised accounts, insider threats, and unauthorized access.
For businesses of all sizes, understanding and managing employee permissions should be a regular part of IT and cybersecurity planning.
What Are Access Controls?
Access controls determine who can access specific systems, applications, files, and information within an organization.
Rather than giving every employee the same level of access, businesses can establish permissions based on an individual’s role and responsibilities.
For example, an employee who needs access to accounting software may not need access to sensitive HR records, while a member of the marketing team may not require access to financial systems.
This approach helps ensure employees have the access necessary to do their jobs without unnecessarily exposing sensitive information.
The Principle of Least Privilege
One of the fundamental concepts behind access control is the principle of least privilege.
Under this approach, users receive only the permissions required to perform their assigned responsibilities. If an employee does not need access to a particular system or database, that access can be restricted.
Limiting unnecessary permissions can reduce the number of systems and resources that could potentially be affected if an employee’s account is compromised.
Why Compromised Accounts Are a Concern
Cybercriminals frequently target employee accounts through phishing, stolen credentials, malware, and other techniques.
If a compromised account has extensive permissions, an attacker may potentially gain access to significantly more company information and systems.
Restricting permissions can help limit the potential scope of an incident.
Businesses should consider access controls alongside other security measures, including multi-factor authentication, endpoint protection, employee security training, and monitoring.
Regularly Review Employee Permissions
Access requirements can change as employees move between departments, take on new responsibilities, or leave an organization.
Without regular reviews, employees may retain permissions they no longer need.
Businesses can establish a process for periodically reviewing:
- User accounts
- Administrative privileges
- Application permissions
- Shared folders
- Cloud services
- Remote access
- Former employee accounts
Regular reviews can help identify unnecessary or outdated permissions.
Remove Access When Employees Leave
Employee departures should include more than collecting company equipment or completing administrative paperwork. Digital access should also be addressed.
When an employee leaves an organization, accounts and access permissions should be disabled or removed according to the company’s established offboarding procedures.
This can include access to:
- Cloud applications
- File storage
- VPNs
- Business software
- Company devices
- Internal networks
A consistent offboarding process helps prevent former accounts from remaining active after an employee has left.
Administrative Accounts Require Extra Protection
Administrative accounts typically have significantly more privileges than standard user accounts.
Because of the potential impact of an administrative account being compromised, businesses should carefully control who receives administrative access and how those accounts are used.
Organizations may also consider separating everyday user accounts from privileged administrative accounts so elevated permissions are not used unnecessarily for routine activities.
Access Controls Support Compliance and Data Protection
Many organizations are responsible for protecting sensitive customer, employee, financial, or business information.
Access controls can support broader data-protection and compliance efforts by helping organizations demonstrate that sensitive information is restricted to authorized users.
Specific requirements vary depending on the industry, regulations, and types of information a business handles. Organizations should evaluate access policies in the context of their specific legal and regulatory obligations.
Build Access Control Into Your Cybersecurity Strategy
Access control should not be treated as a one-time setup. It is an ongoing process that should evolve as an organization grows and its technology environment changes.
New employees, new applications, cloud services, remote workers, organizational changes, and employee departures can all affect access requirements.
A regular process for reviewing permissions can help businesses maintain better visibility into who has access to critical systems and information.
Strengthen Your Business Security With InfoSystems
Cybersecurity involves multiple layers of protection, and controlling user access is an important part of that strategy. Limiting unnecessary permissions can help businesses reduce exposure and better protect critical systems and data.
InfoSystems, Inc. helps businesses address their technology and cybersecurity needs with solutions designed around their specific environments.
If your organization needs help reviewing user permissions, strengthening account security, or developing a broader cybersecurity strategy, contact InfoSystems, Inc. to discuss your business’s IT security requirements.
