The Risks Associated with Different Insider Threat Roles

Insider threat is a multifaceted challenge representing a significant cybersecurity risk to organizations today. While some are unintentional insiders, such as employees who fall victim to phishing attacks or make careless mistakes, others are malicious insiders, such as employees looking to sabotage the organization or steal data. This article, an extract from the report "The Ultimate Guide to Insider Threats", explores the different roles of insider threats and risks associated with each of these roles.

Insider threat can be comprehensively defined as “The threat posed by a person who has, or once had, authorized access to information, facilities, networks, people, or resources; and who wittingly, or unwittingly, commits acts in contravention of law or policy that resulted in, or might result in, harm through the loss or degradation of government or company information, resources, or capabilities; or destructive acts, to include physical harm to others in the workplace.” 

Insider Threat Roles 

Understanding the different types of insider threats and the most applicable vectors to your organization is crucial. While C-suite executives are often assumed to be cyber attackers’ favorite targets, many others are more susceptible to attacks. 

For instance, IT admins with extensive system privileges or people in public relations or investor relations whose names and contact information are prominently displayed across web pages. Product managers are significant targets of bad actors seeking intellectual property. Salespeople and customer-facing staff are often the most targeted. 

Beyond these roles, a myriad of outsiders have insider access to sensitive data, such as contractors, service providers, temporary workers, suppliers, partners, and others. In a nutshell, anyone can put an organization’s data at risk, given the right circumstances. Hence, there is a need to consider how people might behave and whether their behavior is risky—rather than focus on their title or role within their organization.

The Risks Associated with Different Roles

Malicious Insiders

Malicious insiders may intentionally exfiltrate, steal, or sabotage data for personal gain, revenge, or to benefit a competitor. Departing or disgruntled employees may no longer feel duty-bound to keep confidential data and systems safe. Malicious insiders often carry out their operations over time, taking steps to hide their activity and remain undetected.

This fact makes detecting and preventing these types of threats particularly challenging. Malicious insider threat activity often goes undetected and unreported. Malicious users need monitoring while understanding and considering their motivations, including monetary gain, need for recognition, attention seeking, a distorted perception of right and wrong, and more.

Compromised Insiders

Compromised insiders may be forced to act maliciously due to blackmail or extortion. Compromised users may have their accounts taken over and misused by an outside cyber attacker. Once their accounts are compromised, attackers have insider-level access to the organization's data and systems. Compromised users need fast intervention.

Negligent/Unintentional Insiders

Negligent insiders do not have malicious intent but may make mistakes that lead to data breaches or other security incidents through ignorance or carelessness. Even the best workers make mistakes. Some are relaxed with security and inadvertently expose or store data in unsafe locations.

They may fall for a phishing attack, lose a laptop or a portable storage device that a cybercriminal can use to access the organization’s network, use weak passwords, or email the wrong files (e.g., files containing sensitive information) to individuals outside the organization. Others sidestep critical data-loss controls, bypass security controls to save time, ignore security patches and software updates, and disregard rules and policies because they hinder their work. Negligent users need continuous coaching, proper/adequate training, documentation, and controls for all procedures.

Conclusion

Comprehending the diverse array of insider threat roles is crucial for fortifying organizational security. Whether unwitting contributors, compromised insiders, or malicious actors, each role poses distinct risks demanding tailored defenses. By understanding these personas and their associated risks, organizations can proactively mitigate potential harm and safeguard their integrity. For further information on how to mitigate insider threats download "The Ultimate Guide to Insider Threats".