5 common habits putting your company data at risk

Most data breaches do not result solely from external attackers. Instead, internal mistakes now cause the vast majority of cybersecurity incidents. In fact, 95% of data breaches involve human error. Teams move fast, adopt collaboration tools, and trust in convenience, but it is these habits that weaken cybersecurity postures. 

Is your team’s way of working putting your company’s data at risk? (Spoiler alert: the answer for your company is more than likely YES.)  

We break down how common behaviors in modern collaboration increase internal exposure. You will learn about the habits that introduce risk, how remote and hybrid workflows accelerate it, and exactly how to rebuild operations to enforce security by design. Importantly, you’ll learn how to do this without slowing your team down.

5 habits that increase the risk of data leaks

1. Personal chat apps

The modern workforce constantly pushes to save time and streamline execution. Teams rely on tools that simplify file sharing, messaging, and task tracking to reduce delays and keep momentum. This approach increases productivity, yes, but it also exposes company data.

If an official platform feels slow or clunky, we’ve noticed that employees can use faster alternatives to speed up their work, unfortunately, to the detriment of the company’s data safety. In particular:

Team members often send confidential files via a personal chat service, such as WhatsApp, rather than through secure platforms. Doing so leaves a vulnerable digital footprint of the company and employees’ data, which is why it’s important to regularly check for any exposed information using a digital footprint checker, like the one from Aura. Others might copy sensitive information into their personal notes or unprotected cloud folders to avoid switching tools.

These behaviors appear harmless, but they remove controls that protect business data. As a result, each speed-optimization shortcut diverges from the established cybersecurity protocols. Teams can unknowingly bypass audit trails and permission settings, and over time, critical data can end up unprotected. 

How to fix this

Leaders can fix this by embedding controls into the workflow. 

• Identify approved tools for each work category. Lock down file sharing to secure systems with traceable access. 
• Prohibit sensitive content in chat apps, and reinforce this policy through onboarding and review cycles. 
• Design workflows that automatically enforce these standards, so the fastest path always follows the secure one.

But structure alone is not enough. A fundamental pillar of a solid cybersecurity posture is how teams manage access (who gets in, when, and for how long).

2. Offboarding

Most teams follow a clear onboarding process, which sees new employees gaining access to company assets. Everything runs smoothly at the start, with access growing quickly to facilitate workflow optimization.

However, some large problems begin when people leave the company, mainly because businesses forget about “offboarding”.

• Many former employees can retain access to sensitive platforms long after their departure.
• Freelancers and short-term contractors remain in client workspaces or internal systems without restrictions.
• Cross-departmental users collect access as they support projects, but no one owns the task of removing them later.
• Remote and hybrid environments amplify this problem. Informal access checks rarely happen across distributed teams.

Without visibility, systems stay cluttered with inactive users who still hold keys to sensitive data. This is a critical concern, especially for membership models, where unnecessary access exposes large volumes of subscriber data and personal information.

How to fix this

The solution requires ownership, process, and regular review. Assign an access owner for every core platform. 

Build a checklist that includes access removal at every offboarding stage. Set a recurring schedule (monthly or quarterly) to audit tools, remove unused accounts, and log each change. Store this record in a centralized system accessible to all stakeholders.

But even with strong access controls in place, risk still emerges from how teams use the tools they trust every day.

3. Collaboration tools

Collaboration platforms like Slack, Notion, Google Drive, and Jira support modern workflows and meet high security standards. They offer permission controls, encryption, and audit features. When used correctly, they protect company data and support efficient work.

The risk emerges from how teams use these tools:

• Employees often share internal documents publicly or through shared channels without restriction. 
• Others mark files as “anyone with the link” to avoid access requests. 
• Some take screenshots of dashboards and email them without context, version control, or expiration policies. These habits bypass the platform’s safeguards.

How to fix this

Therefore, it’s important to remember that tools do not fail on their own. Poor usage introduces the problem. Strong teams build discipline around access and sharing: 

• They set defaults that protect data. 
• They block public file sharing and remove open links from internal systems. 
• They label documents clearly, store them in approved locations, and use traceable distribution channels. 

It’s clear, then, that security grows when teams treat collaboration as a controlled system. 

But even disciplined tool usage becomes ineffective when teams lose visibility across locations and devices, a widespread concern for modern businesses with hybrid-remote teams working in various geographic locations.

4. Not using remote monitoring

Remote and hybrid work environments reduce visibility. Teams move faster across time zones and platforms, but the gap between speed and structure widens. Most data risks in remote setups do not come from new threats. They come from habits that already existed, and now operate without oversight.

This is where remote employee monitoring becomes essential. It helps organizations maintain visibility into workflows, data usage, and access patterns without disrupting flexibility or trust.

Remote teams often duplicate sensitive data across tools due to poor knowledge transfer. 

• They rely on screen sharing during calls and reveal dashboards, credentials, or client information. 
• Personal devices access multiple platforms with inconsistent security standards. 

These habits spread data across uncontrolled environments, making it challenging to enforce protection.

The absence of a centralized collaboration policy turns these problems into systemic risks. Habits drift quickly when no rules guide them. Teams work in silos, create redundant records, and store critical information in tools that no one tracks.

How to fix this

The solution requires a single, enforced framework for remote collaboration. Standardize workplace communication tools and platforms across all departments. Define where data lives, how access is granted, and which actions require approval. Prohibit personal device access without security controls. Include collaboration protocols in onboarding and reinforce them through regular audits. 

As we’ve just seen, every remote team needs rules that scale with its speed. Without them, risk multiplies. But policies alone do not create security. Teams need a structure built directly into how they work and access company data.

6 practical strategies to secure data

To secure your company’s data, we recommend implementing the following best practices. By doing so, you’ll address the issues we’ve discussed above and secure your company data against the vast majority of internal risks.

Remember, under new legislation, company executives are now personally liable for cybersecurity breaches that expose company data, such as personal client and employee information (which could be exploited for many reasons, from fraud to identity theft). 

Since employees’ personal accounts are often the weakest point in the chain, many companies now support their teams with identity theft protection services that monitor personal exposure risks and alert them early if their information has leaked. It’s a simple layer of protection that also reduces corporate security risk.

As such, key decision makers and stakeholders need to take these best-practice tips very seriously.  

1. Appoint access owners

Every critical platform requires a designated access owner. This is a responsible manager who tracks permissions, manages invites, and removes outdated users. Ownership creates accountability, and accountability leads to security.

2. Run a quarterly access audit

Schedule access reviews every quarter. During these access reviews:

• Look at every account and user who has accessed any company asset. 
• Compare active access against current roles, remove anything outdated, and document each change. 
• Pair this audit with offboarding to eliminate lingering access from past contributors. 

It’s better to accidentally revoke access and reassign later rather than leave unnecessary access open.

3. Default to permission-based sharing

Permission-based sharing is highly effective. Enable it by eliminating any link-based sharing across your assets. Require explicit user permissions for all files, folders, and boards. Use time-limited access links where needed. Prevent public or open access by design, not exception.

4. Use time-bound access for temporary roles

Contractors, freelancers, and short-term partners need defined access windows. Set end dates for their access privileges when you onboard them, log all approvals, and confirm revocation during each audit.

5. Visualize data flow with diagramming tools

Use visual tools like Cacoo to map how information moves across teams and platforms. Identify entry points, redundant tools, and risky habits. You can also use infographics to communicate these workflows and security protocols more clearly across departments. Share these visuals internally to align teams around approved systems and secure practices.

6. Reinforce a culture of shared responsibility

Security only works when your teams and employees take it seriously. It must be made clear to your employees that they are expected to adhere to all security protocols, and failing to do so can result in severe consequences.  

Set clear policies. Automate enforcement where possible. Train new hires to follow structured workflows that already prioritize protection, and regularly reinforce these practices by hosting webinars or virtual training sessions.

Final thoughts

Security depends on internal discipline. Most exposure comes from inside the workflow, not from outside threats. When teams move fast without structure, they create blind spots that no firewall can fix.

Distributed teams and tool fragmentation increase this exposure. But the solution does not require slower work. It needs better systems. Teams that define access, remove ambiguity, and enforce collaboration standards eliminate risk at the source.

Access and collaboration belong to strategy, not operations. The teams that scale securely treat these systems as critical infrastructure. They do not rely on reminders or good intentions. They rely on structure.

Author bio

Irina Maltseva is a Growth Lead at Aura, a Founder at ONSAAS, and an SEO Advisor. For the last ten years, she has been helping SaaS companies to grow their revenue with inbound marketing.