Fired KiranaPro Staff Deleted Entire Code & Data: A Cautionary Tale of Unsecured Access
In the world of startups, employee turnover is a common phenomenon. However, the consequences of not handling employee off-boarding properly can be disastrous, as exemplified by the recent incident at KiranaPro. The startup’s CEO, Deepak Ravindran, recently revealed that a fired employee was behind the deletion of the entire code and data, highlighting the importance of maintaining proper access control and employee off-boarding procedures.
As reported by TechCrunch, KiranaPro’s CTO, Saurav Kumar, explained that the employee off-boarding process wasn’t being handled properly due to the lack of a full-time HR (Human Resources) team. This allowed the former employee to retain access to KiranaPro credentials, ultimately leading to the deletion of the company’s code and data.
The incident began when the employee was let go from the company. However, instead of reverting his access, the off-boarding process was delayed, allowing him to retain his login credentials. It was only later, when the company realized the extent of the damage, that they discovered the employee had used his credentials to delete the entire code and data.
The consequences of the deletion were severe. KiranaPro’s code and data were wiped clean, leaving the company without any backup or recovery options. The incident also led to delays in salary payments to employees, further exacerbating the chaos.
Ravindran shared a GitHub email that confirmed the employee’s credentials were used for the deletion, emphasizing the severity of the situation. The email revealed that the employee had accessed the company’s GitHub repository using his login credentials, leading to the deletion of the code and data.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining proper access control and employee off-boarding procedures. In the absence of a full-time HR team, startups like KiranaPro often rely on makeshift arrangements, which can lead to vulnerabilities like the one experienced by the company.
The deletion of code and data is a catastrophic event for any startup. It not only destroys months or years of hard work but also compromises the company’s intellectual property and competitive edge. In the world of startups, data is often the lifeblood of the organization, and its loss can be devastating.
The incident also highlights the need for startups to prioritize employee off-boarding. Off-boarding is a critical process that involves revoking access to company systems, data, and intellectual property. It is essential to ensure that departing employees do not retain access to sensitive information, which can be used to compromise the company’s security.
In the aftermath of the incident, KiranaPro is left to piecing together the remnants of its code and data. The company is working to recover its lost data and rebuild its systems, a daunting task that will require significant resources and effort.
The incident serves as a cautionary tale for startups to prioritize employee off-boarding and access control. It is essential to have a robust process in place to ensure that departing employees do not retain access to sensitive information. Startups should also consider investing in HR software and tools that can help streamline the off-boarding process and reduce the risk of data breaches.
In conclusion, the deletion of KiranaPro’s code and data is a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining proper access control and employee off-boarding procedures. Startups must prioritize these processes to ensure the security and integrity of their data and intellectual property. The incident serves as a cautionary tale for all startups, emphasizing the need for robust processes and procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
