Cyberattacks are frequently external, but they can also come from within. Insider threats occur when a member of your team is accountable for a security breach on your network.
Since most employers have formed trust with their coworkers or business associates, insider threats are extremely dangerous. So, what kinds of dangers could you face? Insider threats are divided into two categories: malicious and non-malicious.
Malicious insider threats
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An insider actor who is either a former or present employee or business associate, also known as a “Turncloak,” commits a purposeful and planned act to negatively damage the company.
Malicious insider threats are perpetrated by exploiting assigned privileges to investigate and expose secret information about the organization.
As a business owner, you can use several indicators to spot harmful insider risks early on. A history of misusing data or information at a previous job, personality issues with coworkers, falsification of hiring information, and official records of previous detention for hacking or security defilement are all examples.
Non-malicious insider threats
The insider threat that isn’t malicious is the polar opposite of the malicious danger. The insider threat actor in this situation has no malicious motive toward the company.
By taking the wrong action or leaving a vulnerability exposed or undetected (maybe without realizing it’s a vulnerability), the actor falls victim to a cyberattacker’s antics.
How to protect yourself
Deactivate former employees’ accounts
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As soon as an employee leaves your company, the first thing you should do is shut down and disable all of their logins and access to your systems. The longer you delay, the more time they have to take advantage of their access.
Restriction of certain employee access
All employees should not have access to critical internal network systems. It’s critical to restrict access to only those employees who can handle it.
Restrict resources to internal users
Users’ accounts should only have the permissions they need to do their jobs, with no additional privileges.
Allow users to have only the resources they require to complete their tasks. To reduce the risk of them exploring areas they shouldn’t be in, the access should only allow them to complete their tasks.
Keep up with the latest in internal security news
Don’t forget about internal security updates while focusing solely on external threats. Keeping this information up to date will aid in detecting any new methods an internal threat actor may employ to attack your network.
Educate your staff
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Social engineering, malware, phishing, password security, portable device use, data destruction, physical access, data breaches, data encryption, and how to respond if a security attack appears should all be covered in regular or annual security training.
Limit data transfer and copying
You may need to prevent your users from sending data or files to external sources like external email addresses, USB drives, or authorized locations. Employees who are disengaged will find it more difficult to steal data or accidentally share confidential information.
Set internal session timeouts
To protect your network from internal threats, use session timeouts. By preventing Windows and other sessions from remaining active while the user is away from the computer, this action will help users maintain security.
If users stay logged into a local network for an extended period of time, they may unwittingly or intentionally grant computer access to someone impersonating them.
Separate your network into segments
Instead of having a single large network, network segmentation involves creating a set of smaller networks within an organization. This allows you to securely monitor and measure traffic movement between these networks, as well as completely separate departments’ activities.
Screen new hires
The employment history of an applicant can reveal a lot of information. Speak with former employers and check all references for any behavioral red flags.
Experts can help you with insider threat security
While simple security measures may have been implemented, you can also allocate or hire experts from IT security companies to handle it.
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