Insider Threats: Protecting Your Business from Within

When we think about cybersecurity threats, our minds often jump to the external dangers—hackers, ransomware, and other malicious actors trying to breach our defenses from the outside. But there’s another category of threats that deserves just as much attention, if not more: insider threats. These are risks that come from within your own organization, whether intentional or accidental. During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, it’s essential to shine a light on these internal risks and explore how small and mid-size businesses can better protect themselves.

The Call Is Coming from Inside the House

Insider threats can be more dangerous than external ones because they involve individuals who already have access to your systems and data. These threats come in two main forms: malicious and inadvertent.

Malicious insiders are individuals within (or recently within) your organization who intentionally cause harm. This could be a disgruntled employee who feels wronged by the company, a contractor with ulterior motives, or even a vendor who misuses their access. At Tesla, two former employees intentionally leaked confidential data, compromising the personal information of over 75,000 people, including staff members. The leaked data included names, addresses, and social security numbers, highlighting the severe impact a malicious insider can have. Tesla swiftly responded by identifying the employees, filing lawsuits, and seizing their devices. This case aligns with findings from the 2023 Insider Threat Report by Cybersecurity Insiders, which revealed that 74% of organizations have experienced an increase in insider attacks.

On the other hand, inadvertent insiders are those who unintentionally cause harm. These are well-meaning employees who might unknowingly share sensitive information, unaware of the potential risks. For example, an employee might upload a confidential document to a public cloud storage service without realizing it is accessible to anyone with a link, or someone might discuss sensitive project details in a public space where they can be overheard. While their intentions aren’t malicious, the impact can be just as damaging.

Loose Lips Sink Ships: Common Insider Threats

As organizations transition to hybrid work or return to the office, 68% of security professionals are increasingly concerned about insider risks , recognizing the heightened potential of accidental exposures. Let’s take a closer look at some common scenarios where insider threats might arise:

1. Disgruntled Employees:
   One of the most dangerous types of insider threats comes from employees who feel wronged by the company. Years ago, one of our clients experienced this firsthand when they let go of their internal IT administrator. Unfortunately, the company didn’t have a clear offboarding process in place, allowing the former employee to retain access to their systems. The disgruntled administrator used this access to wreak havoc, wiping entire servers clean and causing significant operational disruptions. This incident underscores the importance of proper termination procedures, particularly for IT and administrative roles, to prevent such malicious acts.
   
2. Unintentional Data Sharing:
   Accidental sharing of confidential information is another frequent insider threat. An example is when someone creates a how-to document and includes user credentials that should have been removed before sharing. Or consider a scenario where the CFO accidentally shares a spreadsheet containing sensitive financial data with the entire company instead of a select group of executives. Such oversights can lead to significant data breaches, even though they weren’t done with any malicious intent.
   
3. Vendors and Contractors:
   It’s not just employees who can pose a threat—vendors, contractors, and even janitorial staff with access to your systems and facilities can also be risks. For example, a contractor might share their login credentials with someone else to make their job easier, not realizing they’re exposing the company to a security threat. In regulated industries, this can lead to severe financial and reputational damage. Similarly, janitorial staff contracted to clean an office could inadvertently access sensitive information left on a desk. To mitigate these risks, it’s crucial to enforce a clean desk policy, particularly in highly regulated industries like healthcare, where regulations such as HIPAA require strict data protection measures. Ensuring that all sensitive information is securely stored when not in use can help prevent unintentional data leaks.

Combatting Insider Risks in the Cloud

Identifying and preventing insider threats is a growing concern for businesses, with 53% of organizations finding it increasingly difficult to detect these threats, especially in cloud environments. As insider risks continue to evolve, companies must adopt robust strategies to protect their sensitive data. So, how can businesses effectively identify potential insider threats and implement measures to prevent them from causing damage?

1. Categorizing and Labeling Data:
   One of the first steps in preventing insider threats is to properly categorize and label your data. Not all information is created equal—some data needs to be more protected than others. For example, sensitive business information or personal data should be classified as “restricted” and only shared among a select group of trusted individuals. Microsoft’s Office 365 suite offers a rights management function that can automatically label and protect documents based on their content. This kind of tool helps ensure that only the right people have access to the right information. Additionally, if your organization uses platforms like SharePoint, you can apply labels to entire document libraries to ensure that sensitive documents are properly managed and protected.
   
2. Regular Employee Training:
   Another critical component in preventing insider threats is regular training. Employees need to be aware of what constitutes sensitive information and the potential risks of sharing it. For instance, remind them never to share their credentials, and if they must, to change them immediately afterward. Regular, quarterly training sessions that reinforce these principles can be more effective than a once-a-year crash course, which employees might quickly forget.
   
3. Monitoring and Auditing:
   Monitoring and auditing access to your data is also vital. By keeping track of who accesses what information and when, you can spot potential red flags. For instance, if an employee who usually doesn’t work with certain types of data suddenly starts accessing it, that could be a sign that something is amiss. Implementing audit logs and access controls can help you stay on top of this and take action before any real damage is done.
   

Tools and Technologies for Protection

Having the right tools in place is critical for protecting your business from insider threats. As these threats can originate from various sources within your organization, leveraging advanced technologies and security solutions is essential to safeguard sensitive information. From monitoring employee activities to controlling access to critical data, the right tools can provide the necessary layers of defense to detect and prevent insider threats before they cause significant harm. Here are a few key tools that can make a big difference in enhancing your organization’s security posture:

1. Rights Management and Data Protection:
   As mentioned earlier, rights management tools like those in Microsoft Office 365 can help enforce these categories by controlling what users can do with a document including restricting who can print, download, or share a document based on its label. These tools can even prevent unauthorized users from opening a document at all, adding an extra layer of security.
   
2. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR):
   EDR platforms are another vital tool in the fight against insider threats. These platforms monitor your network for suspicious activity and can quickly respond to potential breaches. A great example of EDR in action was the case of a North Korean operative who passed a background check and was hired by an organization. However, within 24 hours, the company’s EDR system detected that he was trying to install malware, and they were able to take action before any damage was done.
   
3. Secure Collaboration Tools:
   In today’s collaborative work environment, tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams are essential. However, they can also be a source of insider threats if not properly managed. By using allow lists (sometimes called whitelists) and carefully controlling who can access these platforms, you can reduce the risk of unauthorized individuals gaining access to your internal communications. It’s important to strike a balance between security and usability—your team needs to communicate, but not at the expense of your data’s safety.

Develop a Comprehensive Insider Threat Protection Strategy

A well-rounded insider threat protection strategy involves actively implementing the right tools, providing employee training, and continuously developing robust policies and procedures that address the unique risks posed by insiders. Here are a few tips to help you build an effective insider threat protection strategy:

1. Establishing Policies and Procedures:
   Having clear, formal policies for both onboarding and offboarding employees is critical. During the onboarding process, it’s essential to define and limit access to only the necessary systems and data, ensuring that new employees are granted the appropriate level of access based on their roles. On the other hand, as part of the offboarding process, you should ensure that all access to company systems is terminated immediately upon an employee’s departure. This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s something that many businesses overlook, leading to vulnerabilities. Adopting a security framework that includes these processes can help standardize your approach and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
   
2. Tailoring Strategies to Industry-Specific Risks:
   Different industries face different insider threat risks. For instance, healthcare organizations deal with vast amounts of sensitive patient data, making them prime targets for both external hackers and insider leaks. It’s crucial to train your staff not only on general cybersecurity principles but also in industry-specific regulations such as HIPAA.
   
3. Continuous Improvement:
   Cybersecurity is not a set-it-and-forget-it kind of thing. As threats evolve, so too must your defenses. Regularly reviewing and updating your policies, training programs, and security tools is key to staying ahead of potential insider threats. Whether it’s adjusting your training schedule, updating your rights management rules, or revisiting your offboarding process, continuous improvement will help you keep your business secure.

Mitigating Insider Risks with Expert Help

Insider threats are a significant risk to any business, and they often fly under the radar because they come from within. By understanding these threats, properly categorizing and protecting your data, regularly training your employees, and implementing the right tools and policies, you can significantly reduce the risk of an insider causing harm to your business. Remember, cybersecurity isn’t just about keeping the bad guys out—it’s also about making sure the people inside your organization are doing the right thing.

If you’re unsure where to start or need help enhancing your insider threat protection, our team at Vertilocity is here to help. From data categorization to employee training and policy development, we can guide you through the process and help ensure your business is protected from within. Contact us today at MSSP@vertilocity.com to learn how.