Cybersecurity hitchhikers — when trust hands over keys

Note: This site may show light ads and occasional affiliate links. How that works.

You are on a road trip. Someone thumbs a lift. They seem fine. You chat. Miles later you stop for fuel, and they already know where you keep the spare key.

A lot of digital risk looks like that hitchhiker: a browser extension that “helps,” a contractor login that was never removed, a shared password in a chat thread, a plugin installed for one weekend and left forever.

Trust is not the problem. Unreviewed access is — and I see it linger long after the person or tool has stopped being useful.

The habit

Give people and tools the least they need
Put an end date on temporary accounts
Review who can see the mailbox and the accounts folder every so often — especially after someone leaves
If something goes wrong, revoke first, tidy later

Politeness should not keep a stranger in the passenger seat.

A self-check

Who still has access to something important — an old colleague, a contractor, a browser extension you forgot about? Pick one and revoke or review it today. Hitchhikers leave when you ask them to.