Using cloud computing is increasingly allowing people within companies to work collaboratively with each other. In addition, working in the cloud gives companies access to a plethora of online applications and software to use and expand their business. However, with all the added applications comes additional usernames, passwords and other log-in information that people must remember. This can cause companies more of a headache than they realize.
Today, most small business use around 15 cloud application—and the larger the business, the more they can use. This can cause headaches since there can be frequent log-ins and log-outs. In addition, losing a password causes the user to have to reset it (which in turn, causes headaches for IT). This means that having too many passwords can work to hurt employee productivity.
Having to remember passwords is not the major problem. The biggest issue is the time lost every time you need to log into and out of each application. Logging out of applications can be imperative because forgetting to sign out of an application can pose a threat to data security.
A recent Intermedia and Osterman Research study found roughly 89 percent of former employees still have access to sensitive applications from their previous jobs. Access can include such accounts as:
- Salesforce
- Paypal
- Sharepoint
Not only do these employees have access to the accounts, but also almost half of the former employees openly admit to logging in AFTER they have left the company. Problems arise when these employees use applications that are not sanctioned by the company (like Dropbox) for storing work files. This can allow individuals who no longer work with the company have access to their work after leaving.
Unsanctioned storage applications can be frightening to companies because workers can sign up on their own and move the company’s files without the company’s knowledge.
Addressing password issues
One way password issues can be addressed is to implement a single sign-on (SSO) solution. SSOs use a master username and password to create a single point of access to all of the cloud applications that an employee uses within a company. Certain software suites (like Microsoft Office and Google) have included SSOs into their system.
There are external SSO programs (i.e. Okta, OneLogin, and Intermedia’s AppID). These programs work in much the same way. Furthermore, once an employee leaves their position, the SSO account denies access to every application they are associated with.
Companies can avoid issues with data security by diligently monitoring their accounts, making sure accounts are closed when needed, and changing passwords across applications. Companies can be even more secure by employing SSOs to manage their accounts.
