Insider-Threat

Definition

In cybersecurity, an **insider threat** is a risk posed by someone **inside** an organization — such as an employee, contractor, or business partner — who has legitimate access to systems, networks, or data but misuses that access in a way that could harm the organization.

The threat can be **malicious** (intentional) or **unintentional** (accidental).

## Types of Insider Threats

1. **Malicious Insider**

* **Intent**: Deliberately steals, leaks, or sabotages data or systems.
   * Example: An employee sells customer data to a competitor.

2. **Negligent Insider**

* **Intent**: No malicious intent, but careless actions cause security issues.
   * Example: A staff member falls for a phishing email and exposes login credentials.

3. **Compromised Insider**

* **Intent**: The person’s account is taken over by an attacker.
   * Example: A contractor’s VPN credentials are stolen and used to breach the network.

## Why They’re Dangerous

* **They already have access** – making it harder to detect suspicious activity.
* **Security controls may be weaker** for trusted users.
* **Damage can be severe** – involving sensitive data, intellectual property, or critical systems.

## Prevention & Detection

* **Least Privilege** – Give users only the access they need.
* **Monitoring & Logging** – Track unusual file access, logins, or data transfers.
* **Security Awareness Training** – Reduce careless mistakes.
* **Behavior Analytics** – Use tools to spot patterns that may indicate malicious activity.

## Further Reading

* [CISA – Insider Threat Overview](https://www.cisa.gov/insider-threat)
* [CERT Insider Threat Center](https://resources.sei.cmu.edu/library/subject-areas/insider-threat/)
* [NIST SP 800-53 – Security and Privacy Controls](https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/sp/800-53/rev-5/final)

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