{"id":4702,"date":"2024-10-07T09:08:51","date_gmt":"2024-10-07T09:08:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pax8.com\/blog\/?p=4702"},"modified":"2024-10-08T16:55:25","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T16:55:25","slug":"how-to-avoid-insider-threats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pax8.com\/blog\/how-to-avoid-insider-threats\/","title":{"rendered":"The call is coming from inside the house: how to avoid insider threats"},"content":{"rendered":"

You get the call: There\u2019s been a security breach. You round up the usual suspects, like ransomware, denial of service, or another cybercrime. Once you\u2019ve found the cause, it\u2019s time to find the culprit, and it dawns on you: The breach came from inside! It\u2019s none other than an insider threat, one of the most insidious cyber threats out there.<\/p>\n

Despite their difficult nature and unpredictability, insider threats can be thwarted with some clever moves. In this blog, we explore strategies for dealing with insider threats.<\/p>\n

What is an insider threat?<\/h2>\n

You might think of an insider threat like a double agent, the trusted employees, contractors, and business partners who know where the skeletons are buried. And while that may be true in some cases, most of the time, insider threats come from employees who by accident open the organization up to cybercrime. They might click on a fraudulent link, accidentally leak data, or fall for a phishing scam, for example. Whichever avenue an insider threat takes, they\u2019re the ones who can make your cybersecurity team lose sleep at night.<\/p>\n

Why is it important to protect against insider threats?<\/h2>\n

Insider breaches have had big-time costs for organizations of all sizes. According to one report<\/a>, insider threats that result in breaches cost organizations an average of $16.2 million, a 40% increase from four years ago. That cost is inclusive of spent resources, wasted employee time, lost opportunity costs, and potential profit losses.<\/p>\n

There are also less tangible but still vital reasons<\/a> to protect against inside jobs. These include preventing against the loss of sensitive data, reputational damage, disruption of business operations, and legal and regulatory consequences.<\/p>\n

How can an insider breach accidentally happen?<\/h2>\n

Here\u2019s a scary thought: Nearly anyone in an organization has the potential to pose an insider threat. That\u2019s because anyone who has access to personnel, facilities, information, data, or equipment and systems can potentially cause a breach, whether intentionally or not.<\/p>\n

The following are some scenarios<\/a> in which an organization can fall victim to an unintentional insider threat:<\/p>\n