Stellar Blog | Who Still Has the Keys to Your Digital Front Door? You Might Be Surprised.

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Imagine this: a former marketing agency you stopped working with a year ago still has access to your customer database. One of their interns logs in, downloads sensitive data, and shares it with a third party—without your knowledge. A week later, you’re answering to regulators, customers, and your own team. All because no one thought to revoke access.

The Hidden Risk Lurking in Your Vendor List

Every business works with third parties—freelancers, software vendors, agencies, consultants. And at some point, you’ve probably given them access to your systems or data: Dropbox folders, email platforms, CRMs, finance tools.

But here’s the problem: most businesses forget to audit those access rights regularly.

Letting old vendors keep access is like letting former employees keep their office keys, email logins, and client contact lists. It’s a data breach waiting to happen.

Real-World Damage: What Happens When You Don’t Check

A Singapore-based startup was fined after a vendor who no longer had a contract accessed HR data from a shared Google Drive. The vendor claimed they didn’t even know they still had access.
An SME in retail had their email marketing account compromised—because a past intern’s login was never deactivated. Thousands of customer emails were leaked in a phishing scam.

Both incidents were easily preventable.

4 Simple Steps to Lock Down Third-Party Access

Here’s what every founder and business owner should do today:

1. Make a List of All Third Parties with Access

Look at every tool, platform, and shared folder. Who has access? Which vendors, freelancers, and ex-employees still have login rights?

2. Revoke What’s No Longer Needed

Immediately remove access for anyone who’s no longer under contract, or whose project has ended. No exceptions.

3. Set Up Quarterly Reviews

Add a recurring reminder to review access rights every 3 months. Make it part of your security housekeeping routine.

4. Use Role-Based Access Wherever Possible

Instead of giving full access, assign vendors limited roles based on what they actually need. This minimizes damage even if credentials get misused.

Pro Tip: Include Access Reviews in Offboarding

When a vendor or freelancer offboards, don’t just collect the invoice—make access removal part of your exit checklist. One missed step can turn into a costly investigation.

Your Move: Is Your Vendor List a Security Time Bomb?

When was the last time you reviewed who can access your systems?

If you’re not sure, you’re not alone—but now’s the time to act. Don’t wait for a breach to clean up access rights. You might be surprised who still has a backdoor into your business.

Want help tightening third-party access? Contact our team or explore our DPO services to secure your vendor connections before they become liabilities.