Insider Threats: The Hidden Danger Within

like malware and phishing often grab the headlines, it’s the dangers lurking within the organization that can pose equally, if not more, significant risks.

Let’s take a look at the nuances of insider threats, their various forms and the strategies to mitigate them effectively.

Read: The Best Practices Against Cyber Attacks

What Are Insider Threats?

Insider threats refer to the potential for employees, vendors, executives, partners, interns, contractors or other individuals with insider access to misuse their privileges to harm the company intentionally or unintentionally. They pose a significant and often underestimated risk to businesses of all sizes and industries. Insider threat attacks can lead to data breaches, financial losses, operational disruption or reputational damages.

The 6 Types of Insider Threats

Insider threats can manifest in several forms, ranging from malicious to negligent:

1. Malicious insider: Also called turn-cloaks, these are individuals within the organization who intentionally misuse their access to alter, steal or delete sensitive corporate and client information, sabotage systems or carry out other nefarious activities, often for personal gain or vendetta. Malicious insiders are harder to detect than external threats because they have legitimate access to the data, and they know how to cover their tracks to avoid detection.
2. Negligent insider: Not all insider threats stem from malicious intent. Some occur due to ignorance, carelessness or human error. Some studies say as high as 95 percent of data breaches are from human error. Negligent insiders may inadvertently compromise security by mishandling data, losing devices or violating security protocols.
3. Compromised insider: Authorized users may become unwitting accomplices to external threat actors. Their login credentials could be compromised through various means, such as social engineering or malware, allowing adversaries to gain unauthorized access to systems and information.
4. A mole: This is an outsider who has gained access to the company’s systems. They will pose as a vendor, partner or employee to gain privileged authorization.
5. A collaborator: This is an authorized user who works with a third party to cause intentional harm, usually by stealing intellectual property or sensitive data. The third party can include competitors, nation-states or organized crime.
6. A lone wolf: These insider threats operate independently without external manipulation or influence. They often have a high level of privileged access, making them particularly dangerous and difficult to detect.

Identifying Insider Threats

Thankfully, there are a few indicators for identifying insider threats:

• Unusual activity: If you notice employees logging into your network at unusual times, especially during the middle of the night or when they are off the clock, or if they are logging in from unusual locations or devices, this could signal something bad.
• High data traffic: If you notice a sudden transfer or download of high amounts of data, especially sensitive data, this could be a tip-off.
• Data accessed: If the type of data accessed is alarming or if someone without the proper authorization is accessing data they shouldn’t be, this could be another indicator. You should also be on the lookout for an increase in the number of users gaining privileged access to sensitive data.
• Dissatisfied staff: If you notice that your employees are dissatisfied or angry, this could indicate potential foul play. Other indicators include sudden poor performance or disinterest in work and arguments with other employees.

How to Mitigate Insider Threats

Effectively mitigating insider threats requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses both technical and human factors. Remember, insider threats are difficult to detect because they operate inside the company.

• Implement robust access controls: Limit access to sensitive systems and data based on the principle of least privilege, ensuring that employees only have access to the resources necessary for them to fulfill their tasks. You should also limit employee permissions and credentials after they quit or are let go from the company.
• Enhance employee training and awareness: Educate employees about the six types of insider threats, how to recognize them and best practices for maintaining security against them, including strong passwords and proper data handling. Encourage a culture of vigilance and accountability within the business.
• Establish clear policies and procedures: Develop comprehensive security policies outlining acceptable use of company resources, data handling procedures and consequences for violating security protocols.
• Foster a positive work environment: Promote open communication, address employee grievances promptly and cultivate a culture of trust and respect to mitigate the risk of disgruntled employees.
• Conduct regular audits and assessments: Periodically review access logs, conduct security audits and assess the effectiveness of existing security measures to identify and address potential vulnerabilities proactively.
• Increase visibility: Utilize tools and solutions that continuously monitor employee actions and data. User and entity behavior analytics (UEBA) use data analytics and AI to monitor user behavior and flag when something suspicious happens.

Thriveon and the Fight Against Insider Threats

At Thriveon, we understand how important it is to fight cyber attacks, including insider threats. That’s why we offer proactive managed IT and cybersecurity services to our clients.

Schedule a meeting with us now to see how we can help.