An Insider threat is a threat that exists and originates within the business itself. It is not necessary that the threat would be from an existing employee or the system itself. It can be due to any member outside the organization or it can be an ex-employee of the company. There are two most common types of insider threats and they are as follows:
- Turncloak Insider Threat
Turncloak insider threat is the one in which an insider is within the office. They try to steal important data and information in a malicious manner. Such insiders are exploiting their position to damage the reputation or harm the company either for fun purposes or to damage the profit earned. Under turncloaks threat the insider is involved in sharing secret information with an outsider or they can take away important files upon resignation to get advantage from the competitors of a particular business. - Pawn Insider Threat
The second type of insider threat is pawns threat. Pawn threat is the one which can either be done by sending a wrong email to someone or accidentally sharing important information with a third party. The intentions of the employee under this type of insider threat are not to harm the company.
Ways to identify an Insider Threat
There are various signs that businesses and different organizations can watch out for to determine an insider threat.
Top Digital Warning Signs
- Employees involved in the process of accessing information that is not needed according to their job description.
- Emails sent to people outside the organization. Such emails are often sent to people who have no relation with the organization.
- The employees are requesting to access information or sensitive data that is not linked to their job function.
- Downloading data and important files on their personal laptops rather than the computers provided to them by the office.
- An increase in the use of unauthorized storage devices like USB or CD’s.
Top Employee Behavioral Warning Signs
Several attempts can be made by an employee to bypass the security system installed within a company. Some of the most common ones are as follows:
If an employee is frequently working during off-hours then there are chances that he must be up to something. Keeping a check of the status of the daily tasks assigned to them is very important. Businesses can help get an idea whether extra working hours are needed or not.
- An employee misbehaves with other employees quite frequently especially if they oppose something that they have been talking about.
- Frequent violation of all the policies lay down by the company, which includes corporate policies, employee behavior policies etc.
- Frequent discussions of new opportunities and why considering them would be a good option. Such employees often leave obvious indications that they are about to hand in their resignation.
All the above mentioned signs can be helpful as it can help prevent serious damages from occurring in the first place. Organizations can take preventive measures in advance, which can ensure that there is no loss to their business. It is very important for companies to not only keep a check on the behavior and actions of their employees but to install effective security systems that can help them keep a track of the changes that are taking place.