Learn about stale accounts and how to mitigate this risk.
Stale Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID accounts can jeopardize
an organization's security and efficiency. Stale accounts, left unused for long periods,
can be
exploited by malicious actors, former employees, or insiders for unauthorized access
to sensitive
data and systems. Stale accounts also pose compliance risks, consume resources, and
increase IT
infrastructure complexity. Attack Surface Risk Management defines
a stale account as an account with no successful sign ins for 180 days or more. (Accounts
that
are less than 180 days old are not included.)
To mitigate this risk, investigate any account that has remained inactive for more
than 180
days. If there is no reason for the inactivity, remove or disable the account.
![]() |
NoteYou may need a Microsoft Premium subscription to ensure the accuracy of this risk
assessment.
|