How to Secure a Growing Startup
The security basics that matter most between your first hire and your first security questionnaire, in the order we'd tackle them.
By Benicio Hernandez · October 10, 2026 · 6 min read
Most startups don't get breached because of a clever exploit. They get breached because a password was reused, an ex-employee still had access, or a laptop with customer data went missing. The fixes are well known. The hard part is doing them while you're busy building a company.
Here's the order we'd tackle them in.
Start with identity
Your accounts are your perimeter. If someone can sign in as you, nothing else matters.
- Turn on MFA for everyone. No exceptions for founders or "just this one shared account."
- Use one identity for everything. Sign in to your SaaS tools with Microsoft (Entra ID) or Google where you can, so one account controls access.
- Separate admin accounts. Day-to-day work happens on a normal account; admin rights live on a separate account used only when needed.
- Block legacy sign-in. Older protocols skip MFA entirely, so switch them off.
Get control of devices
Every laptop and PC that touches company data should be enrolled in device management (Microsoft Intune, for example). That lets you require disk encryption, a screen lock and current updates, and wipe company data if a device is lost or someone leaves.
Make onboarding and offboarding repeatable
New hires should get the right access on day one, and nothing more. Leavers should lose access the same day. A written checklist is a good start; an automated one is better.
Protect the data you'd miss most
- Know where customer data lives. It's usually in more places than you think.
- Back up Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. Their built-in retention isn't the same as a backup you control.
- Review who has access to shared drives and sites at least once a quarter.
Write it down
You don't need a 40-page policy. A one-page summary of who owns IT, how access is granted and removed, and what to do if something looks wrong goes a long way. It's also the start of the documentation SOC 2 and cyber insurance will eventually ask for.
Why it matters
Security work is cheapest when the company is small. Every person, device and app you add before the basics are in place is one more thing to clean up later.