Insider risk management targets threats from the very heart of an organization—its people. Whether intentional or accidental, actions by insiders like employees, contractors, or partners can lead to severe financial and reputational damage. And as high-profile incidents of corporate sabotage and intellectual property theft by insiders continue to make headlines, businesses can no longer afford to be complacent.

As cyber threats continue to surge and malicious insiders pose significant risks, user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA) tools have become an essential component of a comprehensive security strategy, helping organizations to detect anomalous behavior and hidden threats.

Employee theft isn’t just a financial issue; it can erode trust and damage company morale. These employee theft statistics highlight the prevalence of workplace theft across key categories including data theft, time theft, fraud and embezzlement, insider threats, and retail theft.

Data breaches and external threats are concerns for any security professional, but the most catastrophic security vulnerabilities often originate from malicious insider threats. This is not just an issue, it’s a pressing and immediate concern that demands our utmost attention. Here, we identify how to spot a malicious insider and provide proven strategies for preventing insider threats with technology-based solutions to protect your organization.

Data breaches, malware attacks, and insider threats pose constant risks to businesses of all sizes. To protect your valuable data and critical infrastructure, you need a robust endpoint security solution. CrowdStrike Falcon stands out in the market, offering unique features like next-generation antivirus (NGAV) and endpoint detection and response (EDR). Before deciding, it’s essential to grasp these distinctive strengths and weaknesses.

The financial repercussions of data breaches have soared, with organizations facing an average loss of $4.45 million per incident in 2023. However, beyond only financial implications, organizations that suffer a data breach face other severe consequences, including legal ramifications, productivity halts, and often worse, reputational damage amongst their clientele.

With the growing dependence of businesses on digital platforms for storing and processing sensitive information, the threat of data exfiltration has become a pressing issue. The evolution of exfiltration techniques has given rise to threat actors who exploit insecure devices and engage in suspicious activities to steal valuable data. These activities often involve unauthorized physical access or social engineering attacks to obtain login credentials with malicious intent.

Data is not just a strategic asset. It’s the lifeblood of your organization. Losing access to any strategic asset can threaten an organization’s viability; without plants and equipment, manufacturers would find it difficult to succeed, and service providers can’t operate without brand recognition. Similarly, without data, your organization could be left in a state of complete and utter paralysis, unable to function or recover.

As information security professionals, you play a crucial role in using the term “indicators of compromise” (IOC) to describe any malicious activity that may suggest a computer system has been compromised. Your expertise in identifying IoCs can help quickly determine when an attack has occurred and identify the perpetrators. Your insights can also help determine the extent and severity of an attack and aid in an incident’s forensic analysis.

Creating and implementing information security policies (ISPs) may seem like a formality to some. However, ISPs can form the backbone of your organization’s data security posture. Information security policies and procedures may help you prevent breaches of sensitive data as well as safeguard your reputation and finances by defining what’s allowed within your organization and what’s not. Nonetheless, developing an efficient security policy may be a lengthy and daunting task.