Windows cleaned, desks polished, papers tossed. Office spring cleaning – done. But what about IT? Access rights, unused software, old accounts, outdated policies, forgotten shared folders. All that often gets left behind under the motto “if it works, don’t touch it”. But this is exactly where security incidents can easily creep in. So, make time at least once a year for a digital cleanup – before an audit, authority, or attacker reminds you.
Don’t underestimate your company’s digital hygiene
There’s a big difference between tidying up your office and cleaning up your IT environment – mess in IT can cost much more than just a bad impression. Still, regular reviews are often overlooked. Daily operations take priority, things somehow keep going... and problems quietly pile up. When’s a good time to tackle it? How about now – before vacation season kicks in.
What should your IT cleanup include?
It’s not rocket science (just like all of information security). You just need a system and a bit of discipline. Here’s what you should regularly review:
- Access rights review
- Who has access to what? And should they?
- Remove access for former employees and contractors.
- Make sure sensitive systems and data aren’t wide open for anyone.
- Software & Tools cleanup
- Uninstall unused applications.
- Check license keys – are you paying for things you no longer use?
- Make sure each tool has a clear owner responsible for it.
- Passwords & Two-factor authentication
- Replace shared passwords that have been passed around too much.
- Set up a password manager (if you haven’t already).
- Make sure 2FA is turned on – at least where it matters most.
- Data handling
- Delete or archive outdated folders, files, and backups.
- Review where sensitive data is stored and who has access to it.
- Ensure you know what’s being backed up, where, and for how long.
- Test that your backups actually work.
- People & Responsibilities
- Make sure everyone knows what they’re responsible for – and who to contact if something goes wrong.
- Confirm that your emergency contacts and service providers are up to date.
- Remind your team about safe behaviour – ideally with real examples.
Final thought
It’s not about being perfect. But doing a proper cleanup once a year is the least you can do for your company’s IT security. You can get it done in a morning – and spend the afternoon planning your vacation. With peace of mind.
Ready to start your cleanup?
We’ve put together a checklist – short, practical, printable, and ready to tick off. Download it for free.
