While much attention is given to external cyber threats, insider threats pose an equally significant risk to any organisation’s data. The systems and identities which make up your organisation interact with the data you hold daily to perform their jobs. This naturally gives them a much larger attack surface, risk profile and remit for malicious activity than anyone on the outside trying to gain entry.

Even with the best policies and safeguards in place, trust must be granted to those machines, identities or humans. Trust that they will not act maliciously with the data they have access to, or misuse it in some capacity, either accidentally or intentionally. An accidental insider threat is much more common than you might think.

WHAT IS MEANT BY INSIDER THREAT?

An ‘insider threat’ refers to a security risk that originates from users within your organisation. This can be an employee, contractor, or business associate trusted to access critical data and systems. With any trusted access there is a possibility that, by accident or design, they could cause a data breach.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS TO YOUR DATA?

Risks to your data from insider threats are manyfold. These include unauthorised access to sensitive information, theft of intellectual property, data corruption and unintentional data leaks.

Such incidents can lead to significant financial losses, legal consequences, and erosion of customer trust. Moreover, the damage caused by insider threats can be more challenging to detect and remediate compared to external attacks. Some may be slow and involve small amounts of data leaked over time, others fast and large – but both could go undetected.

WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW, AND HOW DOES IT AFFECT YOUR DATA?

Currently, insider threats are on the rise globally, exacerbated by the increase in remote work and digital collaboration tools. High-profile incidents highlight the growing sophistication of insider attacks or breaches and force organisations to recognise the need for robust internal security measures.

It’s so easy to mistype an email address in the haste to hit deadlines or finish on time for the day. Should that email head to the wrong client or wrong recipient there is a potential, not only for embarrassment but also for wider repercussions in terms of compliance, reputational damage or even lost earnings. Similarly, if a disgruntled employee is being courted by the competition, does the organisation have the capacity to know when they’re accessing sensitive data, intellectual property, client lists and the like? Or even worse, if they’re knowingly moving it to personal email accounts, unsanctioned online storage or mailing it straight to the competition?

While most insider threats fall under the former scenario, fondly referred to as ‘Well Informed Misguided Persons’ (WIMPs) rather than the later corporate espionage example, the risk isn’t one worth taking without procedure backed up by technology in most organisations.

HOW DO YOU MITIGATE RISK FROM INSIDER THREATS?

• Provide Training
  Hold regular employee training on data security practices.
• Control Access
  Implement strict access controls following the principles of least privilege and monitor user activities for unusual behaviour to optimise your chance of spotting data loss when it occurs.
• Use Prevention Technology
  By employing advanced technologies like Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solutions and behavioural analytics, you can make it easier to detect and prevent potential insider threats before they cause harm.
• Audit & Response
  Performing regular activity and access audits and having a robust incident response plan are also crucial components of an effective mitigation strategy.

If you are embarking on a project assessing the risks within your business and need specialist expertise, additional resources, or a fresh perspective, we’re here to help. Contact us to learn more at hello@handd.co.uk or request a call back. to ensure your project meets all your requirements.

Learn more in our Guide ‘Data Security and Data Protection in 2024‘, where focus on more common projects, initiatives and areas that we feel need particular attention throughout 2024 and beyond.