Insider Threat

An insider threat is a cybersecurity risk that originates, and is often acted on, within an organization. The insider threat can be an employee (a “malicious insider”), former employee, contractor, or business associate who has knowledge of the organization’s security practices, data, or computer systems.

Mitigation of insider threats should include thorough employee background checks, stringent requirements for contractors and subcontractors, implementation of least privilege access principles, and comprehensive monitoring of sensitive data and systems.