I’ve seen a worrying trend in cybersecurity – insider threats are on the rise. Many organizations focus on fighting external threats, but sometimes the biggest risks come from within. The Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report shows that 74% of breaches involve people, not just hackers1.
With more people working remotely and companies moving to the cloud, data loss and insider threats have grown. Now, insider threats are a top worry for security leaders. In fact, 30% of top security officers say insider threats are their biggest concern for the next year2.
Insider threats are costly, costing an average of $11.45 million. Most of these threats, 63%, happen because of employee mistakes1. Over the past two years, these incidents have jumped by 47%. Companies spend about $755,760 on each incident2. As a security expert, I aim to help protect organizations from these threats.
What are Insider Threats?
In the world of cybersecurity, an “insider” is anyone who has the right to access a company’s network, systems, or data. This includes current employees, business partners, and third-party contractors. They are trusted and have access to important information like intellectual property, personal data, financial records, and customer lists3.
Defining Insider Threats
An insider threat happens when someone with the right access to data or systems uses it wrongly, either on purpose or by mistake. This can lead to big problems for a business, like losing intellectual property, facing legal issues, financial losses, and damage to reputation3.
Types of Insider Threats
- Careless users: These are people who make mistakes that result in data loss. They make up more than half (56%) of all insider threats3.
- Malicious insiders: These are people who want to harm the business for their own reasons. They make up 26% of insider threats4.
- Compromised insiders: These are outsiders who get user login info and use it to get into systems. They make up 18% of insider threats3.
Not all insiders are threats, but they all have the potential to be. Knowing the different types of insider threats and their actions is key to reducing the risks they bring4.
The Importance of Mitigating Insider Threats
Insider threats can cause big problems for companies. In the past two years, these threats have jumped by 44%. The cost of dealing with them has also gone up, now averaging $15.5 million worldwide5. These threats can hurt a company’s finances, reputation, and even lead to big fines and downtime5.
Insider threats are a big deal. Half of these incidents happen by accident, and another quarter are planned by criminals5. Stolen credentials can cost a company about $805,0005. Last year, 67% of companies faced 21 to over 40 insider attacks5.
It’s key to stop insider threats to keep a company safe. Insider Threat Programs help by stopping, preventing, finding, and reducing these risks6. These programs look at things like who has access and what they do to spot and stop bad behavior early6.
Good strategies to fight insider threats can really help protect a company’s brand and money7. This is vital since most companies feel pretty vulnerable to these threats. And, 60% have had an insider threat in the last year7.
In short, fighting insider threats is very important. With more and more of these incidents happening, companies need to act fast to stay safe. Using Insider Threat Programs and other smart strategies can help reduce risks and protect what matters most.
Identify Risky Users
Finding out who in your company might be a risk is key to stopping insider threats. About 10% of users are seen as risky, while the other 90% are not8. These risky users often include new employees, those who get a lot of attacks, people leaving, and those with special access like IT staff and customer support8. Even contractors and partners can be seen as high-risk8.
Characteristics of High-Risk Users
For CISOs worldwide, insider threats are a big challenge8. The most risky users show risky behavior, fit into certain groups, and have high-risk scores8. Calling all users risky can make security teams overwhelmed with too many alerts that might not be real8. It’s important to balance security with privacy, only collecting data when needed8.
Proofpoint ITM lets security teams quickly change how they watch a user if an alert comes up8. With dynamic policies in Proofpoint ITM, security experts can keep an eye on risky users well8. These policies can change how endpoint agents work, take screenshots only when risky, and set rules for what’s seen on the endpoint8. They give clear insights and proof, making investigations faster8. These policies also save space by only taking screenshots and metadata when needed8.
| Risky User Types | Percentage |
|---|---|
| New Hires | 25% |
| Very Attacked People | 20% |
| Departing Employees | 15% |
| Privileged Users | 10% |
| Third Parties | 30% |
Communicate Policies Effectively
It’s key to talk about cybersecurity policies in a way everyone can understand. If your policies are too complex, employees might not know what to do or why these rules exist9. To fix this, talk to your team about their struggles with data loss prevention tools. Then, find a way to protect your systems and data without making work harder for employees9.
Telling your team why security is important and keeping the lines of communication open can make them see security as a help, not a hassle9. This can also help tackle the fact that most insider incidents happen because of simple mistakes9.
Teaching your employees about security and how they can help is vital. By making them understand the value of cybersecurity, you can lower the chance of mistakes and build a security-focused culture9.
| Insider Threat Type | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Careless Users | 56% |
| Malicious Insiders | 26% |
| Compromised Users | 18% |
By focusing on clear communication, teaching your team, and making them aware of security, you can create a solid defense against insider threats. This helps keep your important data safe9.
insider threats in cyber security
Understanding and seeing what users do is key to fighting insider threats in cyber security10. Many companies have faced insider threats, and a quarter of security issues come from inside10. It’s vital to keep an eye on who does what and when to spot odd or wrong actions10. Looking at logs helps find patterns that might show insider threats, helping to stop them early.
Understanding User Context
Knowing what a user does before, during, and after something might go wrong helps understand their reasons11. It’s important to know what normal behavior is, what assets are key, and how to lower risks11. Seeing all data moves helps protect against theft of important information11.
Visibility and Monitoring
11 Data leaks happen often, showing how common mistakes can lead to data exposure11. Signs of insider threats include a lot of data leaving the company and files with wrong names11. Using a SIEM system helps keep track of what employees do, and keeping logs for years helps solve problems and prove what happened.
12 To fight insider threats, protect important assets, set clear rules, see what employees do, and make everyone think about security12. Tools like UEBA, ML, and monitoring databases help spot and stop policy breaks12.
12 Imperva has many ways to keep data safe, like firewalls, managing user rights, hiding data, and stopping data loss121011.
Educate and Raise Awareness
Insider threats are a big risk for companies, with over half coming from careless or negligent employees13. To fight this, it’s key to link threat prevention with a strong security awareness program.
Security Awareness Training
Good security awareness programs give training that fits the specific needs and threats of each user. For those who act carelessly, it’s important to remind them about sharing sensitive info with outsiders13. For those who have been compromised, teaching them about the latest scams can help13. Short, regular training sessions make it easy for employees to learn and remember important security tips.
Training on insider threats is a must for companies following rules like HIPAA, NIST, and SOC 213. This training boosts employee knowledge on insider threats, their signs, and what can happen. It also teaches how to handle threats and builds a safer cybersecurity culture.
Employees have different needs for training. Regular workers need a basic understanding of insider threats. But, those in charge of systems and security need more detailed courses13. Training can be done through classes, interactive software, or reading materials.
Good training should grab attention, be right on point, and be made just for the employee. Don’t use the same old content. Use different kinds of materials, give real-life examples, and make a safe space for questions and learning from mistakes13. The last part of training should test how well employees can handle an insider attack.
Having regular training keeps employees alert and ready for new threats and suspicious actions13. By putting money into good security training, companies can cut down on the risk of insider threats and keep their important stuff safe13.
The 2020 Cost of Insider Threats Report by the Ponemon Institute found 63% of threats came from employee or contractor mistakes14. In 2022, the average cost of insider threats was $15.38 million, with 2,200 attacks every day. The average cost of a data breach in the U.S. in 2023 was $9.48 million14. Worldwide, the average cost per breach was $4.45 million, with 6.41 million records breached in Q1 of 202314. 74% of companies face more insider breaches than external ones, and over two-thirds are due to carelessness14. Finding insider attacks gets harder in the cloud, with over 53% struggling there. It takes an average of 200 days to spot an incident, and another 75 days to stop it14. Healthcare, finance, and tech are especially at risk from insider threats14.
Develop Proactive Response Plans
When an insider threat happens, acting fast is key. You need to quickly figure out the right steps to take, based on the threat15. Working with teams like HR, legal, and privacy is often essential15. Talking with these groups early can save a lot of time later, when every second counts15. Since insider threats can affect many areas, working together across teams is vital for a strong response15.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Handling insider threats well needs a team effort from different parts of an organization15. By bringing together security teams, including HR, Legal, and Security, companies can tackle insider risks better15. It’s important to have a clear plan that shows who does what in dealing with insider threats15. Also, having a long-term plan with regular updates for leaders and clear resources helps keep the effort focused and coordinated15.
Insider threats are becoming more common and serious for companies16. Getting everyone on board and making sure different departments work together is key to managing these risks well15.
Implement Access Controls
Protecting your organization from insider threats means having strong access controls. Access controls are key in lowering the risk of insider threats. They manage who can see specific data, systems, or resources. Using user authentication like unique login IDs and strong passwords makes sure only the right people can get into sensitive areas17.
Using role-based access controls (RBAC) and following steps to get more access rights helps fight insider threats17. It’s also important to check user access rights often to stop unauthorized access17.
But, Windows Active Directory doesn’t have some basic access controls, like stopping one person from logging in twice at once, which is important for privileged access management18. IT experts often look for third-party tools to make their systems safer and keep company data safe18.
Following rules and laws also pushes for strong access controls18. It’s important to set limits on logins based on the type of session and the application. This way, regular users can only log in during work hours18. Tools like UserLock can help enforce these access rules well18.
With strong access controls, organizations can greatly lower the risk of insider threats and keep their important assets safe. 1917
Monitor User Activities
It’s key to keep an eye on who’s doing what in your organization. This helps spot unusual or unauthorized actions20. By looking at logs, you can see patterns that might point to insider threats. This lets you act fast21. Using a Security Information and Event Management system (SIEM) helps keep track of what employees do. Keeping logs for years helps with investigating incidents and keeps important evidence20.
User Behavior Analytics
User behavior analytics is a strong tool against insider threats21. By watching and analyzing what users do, you can spot odd or risky actions. This helps stop security threats before they start21. Real-time alerts are key here, letting you know right away about things like unauthorized access or data breaches21.
Logging and Auditing
Logging and checking on user activities are vital for a safe and rule-following environment21. This helps lower the chance of bad actions causing malware or data breaches20. By watching what employees do, you can catch insider threats, like unauthorized data access, which could lead to data breaches21. It’s important to have good data protection policies and teach users about safe cybersecurity practices20.
| Key Metrics for User Activity Monitoring | Description |
|---|---|
| Web Browsing Activity | Tracking employee web browsing habits to detect suspicious or unauthorized access to websites. |
| Unauthorized File Access | Monitoring attempts to access sensitive or confidential files without proper authorization. |
| Keystroke Logging | Capturing and analyzing employee keystrokes to identify potential data theft or other malicious activities. |
| Screen Capture | Taking periodic screenshots of employee computer screens to monitor user actions and prevent data leaks. |
It’s important to keep an eye on your security systems and deal with any odd behavior quickly20. Keeping a close watch on who can access your systems from afar also helps keep things secure20.
22 Insider threats can come from employees who are unhappy or act out, work odd hours, break rules, feel bad about coworkers, or ask for things they don’t need22. Watching user actions closely helps spot these issues early. This makes your organization safer and more efficient21.
Leverage Insider Threat Management Solutions
Businesses face a big challenge with insider threats. New solutions have come up to help. Proofpoint Insider Threat Management (ITM) is one such solution. It’s a platform that helps stop insider threats in real-time23.
Proofpoint ITM gives real-time insights into who, what, when, and where threats might happen. It has advanced tools to capture evidence for investigations23. It also stops users from sharing sensitive data, reducing the harm from insider threats23.
Proofpoint Insider Threat Management
Proofpoint ITM makes security teams work better by offering a single place to look at alerts and manage cases. It helps teams work together and share findings with others like HR and legal23.
With Proofpoint ITM, companies can see and act on insider threats quickly. It helps create a culture that values security. This solution helps protect sensitive data and assets from insider threats23.
Conclusion
Insider threats will always be a risk because we have employees and contractors. But, we can lessen these risks with proactive steps24. By finding risky users, sharing policies clearly, and teaching employees, we can lower the risk of insider threats25.
Using tools like Proofpoint ITM can also help protect our data and assets from insiders24. With the COVID-19 pandemic and remote work, it’s key to keep updating our threat prevention plans24.
By being alert, promoting a security-focused culture, and using the right tools, businesses can fight insider threats well25. Success comes from a full, proactive plan that looks at people, tech, and the organization26.
Source Links
- https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/insider-threats
- https://www.exabeam.com/explainers/insider-threats/insider-threats/
- https://www.ibm.com/topics/insider-threats
- https://www.opentext.com/what-is/insider-threat
- https://www.aon.com/en/insights/articles/mitigating-insider-threats
- https://www.cdse.edu/Portals/124/Documents/student-guides/INT210-guide.pdf
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cybersecurity-best-practices-mitigating-insider-threats-ghauri-7k1bf
- https://www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/information-protection/proactively-identify-risky-users-stop-insider-threats
- https://www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/insider-threat-management/insider-threat-mitigation-5-best-practices-reduce-risk
- https://www.proofpoint.com/us/threat-reference/insider-threat
- https://www.code42.com/blog/what-is-an-insider-threat/
- https://www.imperva.com/learn/application-security/insider-threats/
- https://www.ekransystem.com/en/blog/insider-threat-awareness
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/understanding-insider-threats-cybersecurity-easyllama-ccqxc
- https://www.exabeam.com/blog/infosec-trends/developing-a-proactive-strategy-to-mitigate-insider-threats/
- https://www.teramind.co/blog/insider-threat-incident-response-plan/
- https://www.netwrix.com/insider-threat-prevention-best-practices.html
- https://www.isdecisions.com/insider-threat/prevention-access-control.htm
- https://pathlock.com/learn/16-ways-to-prevent-insider-threats-and-detect-when-they-occur/
- https://www.digitalguardian.com/dskb/what-user-activity-monitoring-how-it-works-benefits-best-practices-and-more
- https://www.teramind.co/blog/user-activity-monitoring/
- https://constella.ai/how-to-identify-and-monitor-insider-threat-indicators/
- https://www.teramind.co/blog/best-insider-threat-software/
- https://www.varonis.com/blog/insider-threats
- https://www.sentinelone.com/cybersecurity-101/insider-threats-what-it-is-why-its-so-important/
- https://www.teramind.co/blog/insider-threat-examples/
