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The rise of the “shadow employee”: When ex-employees still have access

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10 months ago

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KnowBe4

According to a recent study, 89% of former employees keep valid logins, while 45% retain access to confidential data after departure

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, October 6, 2025/APO Group/ —Imagine a marketing manager who left a company six months ago, taking their personal laptop with them. On it, unbeknownst to anyone, was a cached login to a shared cloud drive containing sensitive client proposals and campaign strategies – access that was simply overlooked during offboarding. Months later, the ex-employee accidentally drags a folder from that shared drive onto a public-facing personal cloud storage, thinking it was their own. The link to this inadvertently exposed data is then discovered by a competitor or a data broker, leading to a massive leak of proprietary information, significant reputational damage, and a loss of client trust. This seemingly innocuous oversight, can spiral into a devastating corporate crisis. While this scenario is a little extreme, it is unfortunately not far-fetched in today’s complex digital landscape.

When an employee leaves an organisation, most leaders focus on succession, handovers and HR paperwork. But behind the scenes, another risk often goes unchecked: the “shadow employee”. Retaining access to company systems long after they’ve left, these ex-staff members pose a serious cybersecurity threat that can lead to data breaches, financial loss and reputational damage – even if everyone parted ways with smiles, hugs and pizza.

According to a recent study (https://apo-opa.co/46SOBcD), 89% of former employees keep valid logins, while 45% retain access to confidential data after departure. Most disturbingly, almost half admitted to continuing to access company systems after leaving.

“The shadow employee phenomenon is more common than many realise, particularly in organisations with high staff turnover or fragmented and cloud based systems,” asserts Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy and Evangelist at KnowBe4 Africa (www.KnowBe4.com).

She says it often goes undetected because access management tends to focus more on onboarding than offboarding. “When IT and HR operate in silos or access isn’t centrally tracked, it’s easy for credentials, third-party accounts or shadow IT tools to be overlooked,” Collard comments. “It shouldn’t be seen as just a technical issue; it’s a human one, too (https://apo-opa.co/3IwpyUX), where attention to digital hygiene and processes are lacking.”

Risks of rogue access

The threat of shadow employees was brought into sharp focus in 2023 when a US company suffered a major data leak traced back to a former IT consultant (https://apo-opa.co/46TXYc2) whose access to internal drives was never revoked. The incident exposed client information and resulted in a six-figure (dollar denominated, no less) settlement on top of contract losses.

As the workplace becomes more hybrid and decentralised, organisations must rethink offboarding as a critical component of cybersecurity hygiene

“The risks are serious and multifaceted,” states Collard. “They encompass operational risk, reputational risk and financial risk.” In terms of operational risks, she explains that outdated access rights can disrupt workflows, expose sensitive information or allow unauthorised changes to systems – even inadvertently.

Regarding reputational risk, a data breach caused by a former staff member can erode customer trust and damage brand credibility. “Ex-employees with active credentials can intentionally or unintentionally cause data breaches, leak sensitive information, manipulate internal systems or impersonate staff,” she says.

“In some cases, disgruntled employees may delete or sabotage critical data,” she elaborates. “Even if there’s no malicious intent, the mere presence of active credentials outside of an organisation’s control creates vulnerabilities that threat actors can exploit, especially through credential stuffing or phishing (https://apo-opa.co/46V077s).”

The last risk to organisations involves financial risk. “Rogue access can result in regulatory fines, legal costs (https://apo-opa.co/48iKWHK) and lost revenue,” she says. The reason why these security breaches occur is that many organisations treat offboarding as an almost “optional HR thing”, not a cybersecurity event. “They fail to conduct thorough access audits or delay revoking credentials across all systems, especially cloud platforms, collaboration tools and unmanaged software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications,” argues Collard.

Why robust offboarding is key

To close the loop and reduce the shadow employee threat, organisations must build strong offboarding processes that bridge HR and cybersecurity. “It starts with a shared mindset: offboarding must be seen as a collaborative security process, not just an admin task,” she comments.

Another important step is to automate deprovisioning to revoke access in real-time. “Integrating identity and access management (IAM) tools and involving security or risk teams in offboarding governance can also help,” she says. Other action items include performing regular access reviews to identify dormant or unauthorised accounts and educating managers to close the gap on shadow IT.

“Make line managers accountable for flagging all tools and systems used by exiting staff and track unofficial tools in your access control system,” she recommends. The HRM Report (https://apo-opa.co/46YnUn3) also noted that “Shadow AI” use is a growing concern across Africa, with 46% of organisations still developing formal AI policies while staff increasingly use generative AI from work networks without checks on credentials or information sharing. This lack of governance around new technologies further underscores the need for robust offboarding processes that account for all forms of access, not just traditional systems.

In conclusion, Collard maintains that former employees shouldn’t keep the digital keys to your organisation’s kingdom. “As the workplace becomes more hybrid and decentralised, organisations must rethink offboarding as a critical component of cybersecurity hygiene,” she emphasises.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of KnowBe4.

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Thailand Secures $43.6bn 1H 2026 Investment Surge as Big Tech Accelerates Southeast Asia AI Infrastructure Push

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2 hours ago

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July 23, 2026

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Thailand

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 July 2026 – Thailand’s foreign and domestic investment applications surged 37% year-on-year to hit $43.6 billion (approx. 1.47 trillion baht) across 1,299 projects in the first half of 2026, driven by a massive wave of capital flowing into digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.

The surge comes even as the global economy faces real headwinds — geopolitical tensions, energy price volatility, and the restructuring of global supply chains — with Thailand emerging as a preferred base for investment across Southeast Asia.
Leading the capital influx is the digital sector, which reached a commanding $33 billion (approx. 1.12 trillion baht) in investment applications.

“Thailand’s investment growth held steady even as the world economy faced real turbulence,” said Mr. Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Secretary General of the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI). “This reflects strong investor confidence in Thailand’s potential as a base for the industries of the future.”

This digital windfall was accompanied by robust capital commitments across other high-value industries. The electrical appliances and electronics sector drew $3.56 billion (approx. 120.2 billion baht) across 179 projects, while agriculture and food processing secured $1.82 billion (approx. 61.4 billion baht) across 131 projects. Additionally, logistics and high-value services attracted $1.19 billion (approx. 40.2 billion baht) across 170 projects, and the automotive sector drew $759.2 million (approx. 25.7 billion baht) across 122 projects.

Other notable sectors included mining, metals and materials at $603.5 million (approx. 20.4 billion baht) across 128 projects, chemicals and petrochemicals at $489.1 million (approx. 16.5 billion baht) across 110 projects, and machinery, automation and robotics at $387.4 million (approx. 13.1 billion baht) across 82 projects, signaling broad-based industrial modernization.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) applications drove the bulk of the growth, skyrocketing 80% year-on-year to $40.5 billion (approx. 1.37 trillion baht) across 877 projects.

Singapore emerged as the top source of FDI, filing applications worth $33.2 billion (approx. 1.12 trillion baht) across 158 projects. The United Kingdom followed as the second-largest investor at $1.40 billion (approx. 47.2 billion baht) across 11 projects, with China close behind at $1.35 billion (approx. 45.8 billion baht) across 321 projects, Taiwan at $1.12 billion (approx. 38.0 billion baht) across 47 projects, and Japan at $970.1 million (approx. 32.8 billion baht) across 123 projects.

These investments remain heavily concentrated in digital technology — including data centers, data hosting, and cloud services — followed by electronics and electrical appliances such as optical transceivers, printed circuit boards, hard disk drives, and data-center networking and cooling systems, along with humanoid robotics parts, automotive parts, food and beverage, and advanced materials. Geographically, Thailand’s industrialized Central region claimed the largest share of capital at $26.7 billion (approx. 903.8 billion baht) across 513 projects, followed by the Eastern region at $14.7 billion (approx. 495.7 billion baht). The Northeastern, Southern, Western, and Northern regions each drew smaller totals, but the North stood out with investment value up 93 percent year-on-year, led by energy and utilities, agriculture and food processing, and medical projects.

To support the massive power requirements of next-generation data centers, Thailand is seeing a parallel surge in renewable energy infrastructure. The energy and utilities sector recorded 221 projects worth $1.17 billion (approx. 39.5 billion baht) during the first half of the year, dominated by 198 clean energy initiatives—including solar, wind, biomass, and biogas power plants—valued at $779.7 million (approx. 26.4 billion baht).

Concurrently, manufacturers are investing in automation to remain competitive on the global stage. Under the BOI’s “Smart and Sustainable Industry” initiative, companies submitted 132 applications valued at $507.6 million (approx. 17.2 billion baht) to upgrade machinery, adopt digital technology, and integrate automation and robotics into production and services, raising productivity and moving Thai industry toward higher-value, sustainable manufacturing.

The projects approved by the BOI in the first half of 2026 will generate over 82,000 jobs for Thai workers and consume approximately $11.4 billion (approx. 386 billion baht) in domestic raw materials annually, accounting for 42 percent of the projects’ total raw material use, and is expected to boost the nation’s export capacity by more than $36.8 billion (approx. 1.24 trillion baht) per year.

The BOI approved investment promotion applications for 1,300 projects valued at $38.7 billion (approx. 1.31 trillion baht) in the first half of 2026.

“Investment value is not the only goal,” Mr. Narit said. “Real success means quality jobs, higher skills, and better income for Thai workers.” “It means real opportunities for Thai businesses inside the supply chain, and growth that reaches every region, not just a few. That is why we will keep pushing for actual investment to happen as quickly as possible through the Thailand FastPass mechanism, driving economic growth and letting Thai people share directly in the shift to the industries of the future.”
 

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Cregis Expands into Africa, Bringing Enterprise Digital Asset Infrastructure to One of Crypto’s Fastest-Growing Regions

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6 hours ago

on

July 23, 2026

By

Cregis

Cregis is bringing proven enterprise digital asset infrastructure to Africa at a time when the region is entering a more mature stage of digital asset development

HONG KONG, China, July 22, 2026/APO Group/ –Cregis (www.Cregis.com), an enterprise digital asset infrastructure platform, today announced its expansion into Africa, marking the company’s latest step in its global growth strategy. The move builds on Cregis’ expansion across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Latin America, as demand for enterprise digital asset infrastructure continues to grow worldwide.

 

Africa is one of the fastest-growing digital asset markets globally. According to Chainalysis, Sub-Saharan Africa received more than $205 billion in on-chain value between July 2024 and June 2025, up 52% year over year. Growth has been fueled by stablecoin payments, cross-border transactions and broader adoption of digital financial services. At the same time, regulatory frameworks are becoming clearer across several major markets, creating a stronger foundation for enterprise adoption.

For Cregis, those trends signal that the market is entering a new stage.

“We’ve seen this pattern before,” said Shawn Yan, Founder and CEO of Cregis. “Adoption comes first. As businesses grow, the focus shifts to operating digital assets securely, efficiently and in a way that can keep pace with evolving regulatory expectations. That’s where enterprise infrastructure becomes essential, and it’s the same transition we’re beginning to see across Africa.”

Cregis has already onboarded enterprise customers in the region and is expanding its local business development efforts across the continent, with particular attention to markets such as Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, where digital asset ecosystems are among the most developed. The company is working with businesses including stablecoin payment providers, OTC desks, crypto exchanges and digital banks as demand for enterprise infrastructure continues to grow.

We’ve spent years helping businesses navigate periods of rapid market growth and regulatory change

To support those businesses, Cregis provides an integrated platform that helps enterprises manage the full lifecycle of digital assets, from wallet operations and fund flows to custody, governance and compliance. Its product portfolio includes Wallet-as-a-Service (WaaS) (https://apo-opa.co/4bC3Z0i), Payment Engine, (https://apo-opa.co/4warJRs) TronGas, and Crypto Off-Ramp, allowing businesses to scale digital asset operations without piecing together multiple infrastructure providers.

The expansion builds on nearly a decade of experience supporting enterprise customers across high-growth markets. In Asia-Pacific, Cregis worked with thousands of businesses in markets where digital asset adoption often outpaced regulation. That experience shaped the company’s approach to building infrastructure that balances operational flexibility with long-term compliance readiness.

The same strategy has since been validated in newer markets. In 2024, Cregis established Dubai as its Middle East hub, building a local team and expanding its compliance capabilities alongside regional growth. Today, the company supports more than 200 long-term enterprise deployments across the region and has built a strong presence in the brokerage, payments and fintech ecosystem. Earlier this year, Cregis expanded into Latin America and Europe, rapidly onboarding enterprise customers. In Europe, the company is also working with traditional financial institutions adopting digital asset infrastructure. Together, these experiences have given Cregis a proven framework for scaling across high-growth markets where enterprise demand and regulation are evolving together.

As more businesses adopt digital assets, infrastructure requirements are changing. Beyond secure wallet technology, enterprises increasingly need systems that bring together treasury operations, governance and compliance in one place. Cregis is designed to support businesses at different stages of growth, from fast-growing fintechs and crypto-native companies to institutions operating under stricter regulatory requirements, all on a unified platform. The company maintains a zero-security-incident record and holds internationally recognized certifications including SOC 2 Type I, SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001.
Looking ahead, Cregis plans to deepen its presence across Africa through customer engagement, local partnerships and participation in leading industry events, including Blockchain Africa Conference and Blockfest Africa. The company sees Africa as an important long-term market as digital assets become more deeply integrated into financial services across the region.

“We’ve spent years helping businesses navigate periods of rapid market growth and regulatory change,” Yan said. “Africa is entering a similar phase. Our goal isn’t simply to bring technology into the region — it’s to help local businesses build digital asset operations that can grow with confidence over the next decade.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Cregis Technology Limited.

 

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Energy

Viridien Brings Global Seismic Intelligence to Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 as Bronze Sponsor

Published

6 hours ago

on

July 23, 2026

By

Etu Energias

Viridien is expanding advanced seismic coverage to support exploration decisions across Angola’s mature and frontier basins

LUANDA, Angola, July 22, 2026/APO Group/ –Global technology and data company Viridien is strengthening its presence in Angola through advanced seismic imaging, reprocessing and multi-client data programs designed to support the country’s next phase of exploration. The company has joined the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 Conference and Exhibition, taking place September 9-10 with a pre-conference day on September 8, as a Bronze Sponsor, highlighting the growing role of subsurface intelligence as operators evaluate new acreage and pursue higher-confidence drilling targets.

Angola is accelerating exploration across offshore and onshore basins to replenish reserves and sustain crude production above one million barrels per day. This strategy is driving demand for higher-resolution seismic data that can help companies better understand complex geological structures, reduce uncertainty and identify prospective opportunities before committing capital to drilling.

Viridien maintains extensive 3D broadband seismic coverage across the Lower Congo and Kwanza basins, two of Angola’s most established offshore exploration regions. Its datasets support prospect generation and acreage evaluation across producing areas, as well as emerging deepwater and pre-salt plays.

A key component of Viridien’s Angolan portfolio is a regional 3D pre-stack depth migration dataset covering more than 7,200 km². The dataset delivers enhanced imaging of pre-salt and post-salt structures, where complex geology can make conventional interpretation challenging. These insights enable operators to refine geological models, prioritize prospects and better assess exploration opportunities.

Viridien expanded its portfolio in 2025 with the launch of a seismic reimaging program covering Block 22. The approximately 4,300 km² dataset is designed to support evaluation of underexplored structures along the Atlantic Hinge zone ahead of Angola’s upcoming licensing round. Final results are expected in the second half of 2026, providing prospective investors with updated subsurface insights as they assess potential participation in the block.

The program comes as Angola works to attract new entrants and encourage existing operators to increase exploration activity. Major developments in the Kwanza Basin, renewed interest in Namibe and Benguela, and upcoming licensing opportunities are expanding the range of acreage under evaluation. At the same time, operators are revisiting mature areas where improved seismic processing can reveal overlooked prospects close to existing infrastructure.

Viridien’s Bronze Sponsorship of AOG 2026 will connect the company with operators, regulators and investors assessing Angola’s next generation of exploration opportunities. By enabling more informed acreage evaluation and prospect selection, Viridien’s seismic technologies can help reduce exploration uncertainty and support the development of future drilling campaigns.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 

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