What is an insider threat?

An insider threat refers to a security risk that originates from individuals within an organization, such as employees, contractors, or business partners. These individuals have inside information concerning the organization's security practices, data, and computer systems. When they misuse their access, whether intentionally or unintentionally, they can pose significant risks to the organization's data integrity and confidentiality.

In many cases, insider threats can result from malicious intent, such as stealing sensitive information, sabotaging systems, or harming the organization in other ways. However, they can also arise from negligence or lack of awareness, where an employee inadvertently exposes sensitive data or violates security protocols without malicious intent. Recognizing that the risk comes from within the organization helps in designing specific policies and training programs to mitigate these threats, such as access controls, regular audits, and employee training about security best practices.

Understanding insider threats is crucial for comprehensive cybersecurity strategies, as they differ significantly from external threats, which involve individuals or groups attempting to penetrate an organization's defenses from the outside.