Safeguarding Your Business from Within: Strategies to Counter Insider Threats

You might think your business is pretty solid when it comes to blocking external cyber threats, thanks to all that high-tech security gear. But what about the risks that come from inside your own team? Yep, sometimes employees, vendors, partners—or even you—could be the source of a security issue. It’s super important to know how to protect your business from these internal threats. In this blog, we'll dive into the different types of insider threats, how to spot the warning signs, and what you can do to keep your business safe.

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Types of insider threats

Insider threats come in several forms, each presenting unique risks:

1.  Data theft: This occurs when insiders such as employees misuse their access to steal or leak sensitive information. This could involve physical theft of devices or unauthorised digital copying of data.

Example: An employee at a major healthcare provider illegally downloads and sells confidential patient data on the dark web.

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2.  Sabotage: Here, an insider/employee intentionally disrupts the organisation’s operations. This could involve deleting crucial files, introducing malware, or locking out important systems by changing passwords.

Example: A frustrated employee at a cafe deliberately sabotages the coffee machine, resulting in operational disruptions and financial loss.

3.  Unauthorised access: This form of breach occurs when insiders or external hackers exploit legitimate access rights to view or steal critical business information.

Example: A worker misuses their credentials to gather and leak strategic information to a competitor.

4.  Negligence &error: Accidental actions that compromise security, such as clicking on malicious links or losing devices containing sensitive information, fall under this category.

Example: An employee accidentally downloads a virus that compromises the system or loses a laptop with critical data.

5.  Credential sharing: Sharing login credentials can inadvertently open doors to unauthorized access, posing a significant security risk.

Example: An employee logs into their work email from a friend's laptop and forgets to log out, leading toa security breach when the laptop is hacked.

Identifying Red Flags

Early detection of insider threats is critical. Watch for these signs:

• Unusual access patterns: An employee accesses sensitive information unrelated to their role.
• Excessive data transfers: Sudden, large-scale data downloads to external storage devices.
• Authorisation requests: Frequent, unnecessary requests for access tocritical data
• Use of unapproved devices: Use of personal devices to access sensitiveinformation.
• Disabling security tools: Disabling of security software like antivirus programs.
• Behavioural changes: Signs of stress or missed deadlines that deviate from normal behavior.

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Strengthening your defenses

To fortify your business against insider threats, consider these five steps:

1.  Robust Authentication: Implement strict password policies and encourage multi-factorauthentication.

2.  Role-based Access Control: Limit data and system access to what is necessary for employee roles and regularly update these privileges.

3.  Employee Education: Conduct regular training on the nature of insider threats and security best practices.

4.  Data Backups: Regularly back up critical data to recover quickly from data loss incidents.

5.  Incident Response Planning: Develop and maintain a clear plan detailing how to respond to insider threat incidents.

Team Up to Tackle Insider Threats

Managing insider threats doesn’t have to be a solo endeavour. Partnering with an experienced IT security provider like LinearStack can significantly enhance your internal defenses. We can assist you in setting up effective monitoring systems and crafting swift response strategies to potential threats.

For a thorough approach to safeguarding your business from insider threats, contact us. Let’s work together to protect your business comprehensively from the inside out. 0800 008 795 or emailhello@linearstack.com