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A former employee still has access to the inbox
A HR department employee has left the company, but their access to the inbox [email protected] has not been revoked. After a few months, out of curiosity, they log in again and download the list of candidates. They use this data at their new workplace. Lack of control over access results in a personal data leak and a potential report of a breach to the supervisory authority.
Someone accidentally sends client data to the wrong recipient
In the customer service department, several people use the inbox [email protected]. One of the employees mistakenly replies to a message, attaching an invoice from another client that contains their personal data. Since many employees handle this inbox, it is difficult to determine who made the mistake. The company reports the breach to the Polish DPA.
Automatic forwarding to private addresses
In one of the service companies, emails from the address [email protected] are automatically forwarded to the private accounts of technicians so they can respond to customer requests more quickly. After some time, it turns out that one of the individuals is still receiving requests, even though they no longer work for the company. Client data ends up on private devices and remains outside the organization's control, which constitutes a serious breach of GDPR.
What are the main threats?
Unauthorized access to personal data
If we do not control who has access to the inbox, former employees or individuals outside the company may still use it and view confidential information.
Lack of accountability for data processing
When many people use one inbox, it is difficult to clearly determine who is responsible for handling a specific message and any potential data protection breaches.
Risk of accidental data disclosure
Shared mailboxes often contain large amounts of information about clients, employees, and contractors. The lack of clear rules for their processing can lead to accidental disclosure of data to unauthorized individuals.
Lack of User Activity Registration
Many companies do not monitor who logs into the mailbox and what actions they perform. In the event of an incident, it is impossible to determine who had access to specific messages and whether a data breach occurred.
How to Manage a Shared Mailbox in Compliance with GDPR?
Assign Individual Access
Instead of sharing the mailbox with multiple individuals, assign access only to selected employees and regularly verify it (if possible and business-justified).
Monitor Logins and User Activities
Utilize systems that record who logged into the mailbox and what actions were taken. In the event of an incident, you will be able to quickly identify the source of the problem.
Avoid Automatic Email Forwarding
Do not set up automatic forwarding of messages to other addresses, especially personal ones. This can lead to a loss of control over the data and increase the risk of GDPR violations. Instead, ensure that access to the mailbox is granted only to authorized individuals in a secure manner.
Segment Access
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Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
If the system allows, implementing an additional layer of security, such as multi-factor authentication, will enhance the security of access to the mailbox.
Summary
Shared email mailboxes are a convenient solution, but without appropriate safeguards, they can pose a risk to personal data protection. It is advisable to regularly monitor who has access, establish clear usage rules, and ensure the minimization of stored data.
If you have any questions or need support in this matter, please contact us – we will help you implement effective solutions.
