An insider threat refers to a security risk originating from individuals within an organization who have access to the organization's systems, data, and networks. These individuals can be employees, contractors, or other trusted personnel with legitimate access privileges. Insider threats can be classified into two main categories:
Malicious Insiders
Negligent Insiders
What is an insider threat?
Why are insider threats difficult to detect?
Types of insider threats
Malicious Insiders
These individuals intentionally misuse their authorized access to the organization's resources for malicious purposes. Motivations may include financial gain, revenge, ideology, or a desire to harm the organization.
Negligent Insiders
Negligent insiders, on the other hand, do not have malicious intent but may unintentionally compromise security through careless actions or mistakes. This could involve actions like falling for phishing attacks, failing to follow security policies, sharing passwords, or leaving sensitive data exposed.
An threat refers to a security risk that originates from within a company or organization.
Mitigating Insider Threats
Access Control
Implementing strict access controls and the principle of least privilege to ensure that employees only have access to the resources they need to perform their job roles.
User Education and Training
Conducting security awareness training programs to educate employees about the risks of insider threats and how to recognize and report suspicious activities.
Monitoring and Auditing
Employing monitoring systems and regular audits to detect and investigate unusual or unauthorized activities on the network and within systems.
Employee Reporting Mechanisms
Establishing anonymous reporting channels for employees to report concerns about their colleagues' behavior without fear of retaliation.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Tools
Implementing DLP solutions to monitor and prevent the unauthorized sharing or leakage of sensitive data.
To prevent access to a network, strong passwords should be used.
