People often consider hackers to be working in cybersecurity. But the biggest risk by far is insider threats and that is true. The difference between hackers and professionals working in cyber security is that hackers intentionally (or negligently) misuse an organisation’s system when systems are also accessed through an insider of the organisation. Insider threats can cause data breaches, financial loss and damage to reputation. For that reason, any cybersecurity strategy should always be built with this in mind.
Types of Insider Threats
- Malicious Insiders: Employees or affiliates doing unlawful harm to the organisation through deliberate use of access.
- It may be a motivation for financial gain, revenge or espionage.
- Example: From selling sensitive company data to competitors to leaking confidential information.
- Negligent Insiders: Employees who cause harm due to not following security protocols.
- Often because of scope, awareness, careless behaviour or lack of cybersecurity training.
- Example: Going to phishing links that lead to malware penetration.
- Compromised Insiders: People whose credentials have been compromised and are being used by external attackers.
- These insiders may not know that their accounts are being exploited.
- Example: A compromised employee account is used to access sensitive data.
Risks Posed by Insider Threats
- Data Breaches: The insider has access to sensitive information; thus, it is easy for him to cause a data breach.
- Customer data theft can lead to violation of compliance, legal issues and financial penalties.
- Financial Losses: Fraud, intellectual property theft and costly operational disruption may be caused by the insider threat.
- For instance, manipulation of financial records or theft of proprietary designs.
- Reputational Damage: Leaks or breaches that may be caused by an insider may damage the customer’s trust and brand image.
- The impact of such incidents tends to outlive the short-term loss.
- Operational Disruptions: Tampered-with systems or acts of sabotage will affect workflow and impact the delivery of services and productivity.
- Example: Files necessary for a daily operation being deleted or changed.
Mitigating Insider Threats
- Implement Strong Access Controls: Limit access to sensitive systems and data to those who need it.
- Apply role-based access control so employees can only access information related to their jobs.
- Monitor and Detect Suspicious Activities: Implement tools that monitor any unusual behaviour, such as large data transfers or unauthorised access attempts during odd hours.
- UBA will indicate potential threats by showing the anomalies in system usage patterns.
- Keep on doing Continuous Cybersecurity Training: Train employees on cybersecurity best practices and the dangers of cyber threats inside your organisation.
- Instead, phishing, password hygiene and reporting suspicious activity should all be a focus.
- Set Clear Policies and Consequences: Establish what the acceptable use of company systems is and what the consequences of policy violations are.
- Make employees understand that cybersecurity protocols are not a joke.
- Promote a Security-First Culture: Establish an environment where employees are held accountable for protecting organisational assets.
- Promote open communication and encourage reporting of potential vulnerabilities.
Real-World Examples of Insider Threats
Edward Snowden (2013)
- A former NSA contractor leaked classified documents showing that the NSA has been trying to keep tabs on people around the globe, both at home and abroad.
- It warned of the dangers of access and no oversight.
Target Data Breach (2013)
- One of the third-party vendors who had credentials to Target’s systems had stolen the credentials they had used to acquire them.
- This is shown to be a risk associated with third-party insiders
Tesla Sabotage (2018)
- A worker with grievances sabotaged the manufacturing operating system at Tesla and leaked confidential data.
- Illustrated risks when malicious insiders possess technical acumen.
Conclusion
Silent and strong, yet nonetheless a formidable danger to organisations of all sizes, insider threats are something businesses simply ignore at their peril. Businesses can better protect themselves exponentially by knowing about the types of insider threats they pose, identifying the risks they introduce and using appropriate mitigation strategies. Powerful monitoring, employee training and assistance with creating a security-focused culture are proactive measures that will help the company stay ahead of the growing challenge of proportions.
However, for those who seek to gain the advanced knowledge to fight such cybersecurity challenges, LSET presents a Cybersecurity Course. You’ll learn how to detect, reduce and shield against modern risks, including insider threats.
FAQs
Q1. How are insider threats different from external threats?
Insider threats are internal organisation threats that generally use their rights of access and external threats involve attackers coming from outside the network.
Q2. Which types of organisations or sectors are at higher risk of insider threats?
Such sectors as finance, healthcare and government are prone to high regulation because they handle extremely secret information.
Q3. Can Insider threats ever be completely removed?
This would be impossible, but at the very least, a proactive strategy against insider threats would greatly help decrease their probability and impact.
Q4. What does LSET do to equip professionals to tackle the insider threat?
LSET provides actual in-class threat detection, prevention, and mitigation with live scenarios in their cybersecurity class.
Q5. Does the incidence of insider threat happen more with remote workers?
There are more possibilities of increased risks due to dispersed teams lapses in practice that might take place with proper security when working remotely.