An Underrated Cybersecurity Risk: The Insider Threat



Organizations often focus on well-known external threats such as hackers, ransomware, and malware in the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape. However, there’s an underrated risk that many companies tend to overlook – the human element or the “insider threat.” This article will explore the complexities of the insider threat, why it’s a hidden danger, and the strategies organizations should implement to protect themselves.

What is the Insider Threat?

The insider threat is the potential for employees, contractors, or other individuals with legitimate access to an organization’s systems and data to unintentionally or maliciously compromise security. The reasons for such actions can range from a lack of cybersecurity training, carelessness, social engineering, or even malicious intent. These threats can lead to significant financial losses, reputational damage, and compromised intellectual property.

Types of Insider Threats

  1. Unintentional Insider Threats: These involve employees who unknowingly compromise security due to ignorance, carelessness, or human error. For example, an employee might accidentally leak sensitive information by emailing the wrong recipient or using weak passwords.
  2. Malicious Insider Threats: These involve individuals who intentionally seek to harm the organization, either for personal gain or revenge. Malicious insiders might steal sensitive information, tamper with critical systems, or facilitate data breaches.
  3. Compromised Insiders: An external attacker may exploit a user’s credentials, usually through phishing or social engineering tactics, turning the user into an unwitting accomplice.

Why Insider Threats Often Go Unnoticed

  1. Perception Bias: Companies tend to focus on external threats, leading to a perception that most cyberattacks originate outside the organization. This bias can cause organizations to overlook the dangers posed by their personnel.
  2. Trust: Employers often place high trust in their employees, making it difficult to imagine that someone within the organization could pose a risk.
  3. Limited Visibility: Insider threats can be challenging to detect because the perpetrators often have legitimate access to systems and data. Their activities might appear normal, making it difficult to distinguish between regular work and malicious actions.
  4. Complexity: Detecting insider threats often requires analyzing vast amounts of data, user behavior, and network activity, which can be resource-intensive and time-consuming.

Mitigating Insider Threats

  1. Employee Training and Awareness: Regular cybersecurity training for all employees is crucial. This should include information on the latest threats, social engineering tactics, and best practices for securing sensitive information.
  2. Access Control: Implement the principle of least privilege by granting users the minimum level of access required for their job roles. Regularly review and update access permissions to ensure employees only have access to the necessary information.
  3. Security Policies: Establish clear security policies, including guidelines for remote work, password management, and reporting suspicious activities. Make sure employees understand the consequences of violating these policies.
  4. Monitoring and Analytics: Implement robust monitoring solutions to track user behavior, system access, and data usage. Use advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms to identify patterns indicative of insider threats.
  5. Incident Response Plan: Develop a comprehensive incident response plan that includes procedures for identifying, containing, and remediating insider threats. Regularly test and update this plan to ensure its effectiveness.
  6. Encourage a Security-conscious Culture: Promote a culture where employees feel responsible for the organization’s cybersecurity and are comfortable reporting suspicious activities or potential threats.

Insider threats are a significant and often underrated risk in cybersecurity. As organizations continue to invest in their defenses against external threats, it’s essential to remember that the human element within the company can pose an equally, if not more, substantial risk. Organizations can protect their sensitive data, systems, and reputation by understanding the intricacies of insider threats and implementing a multifaceted approach to mitigate them.

Featured image by Midjourney & Jonas Borchgrevink.