Insider threats account for approximately 25% of all data breaches and are among the most difficult to detect and prevent. Whether malicious or negligent, insiders have legitimate access to sensitive systems and data.
Types of Insider Threats
Malicious insiders deliberately steal or expose data for financial gain, revenge, or espionage. Negligent insiders accidentally cause breaches through poor security practices, such as falling for phishing attacks or misconfiguring systems.
The Edward Snowden Effect
The NSA contractor’s massive leak of classified documents demonstrated the potential impact of a single determined insider. The incident led to sweeping changes in how organizations handle privileged access.