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Insider Threats
An insider threat is any person who has or had authorized access to, or knowledge of, an organization’s resources, including personnel, facilities, information, equipment, networks, and systems.
Understanding the risks of Insider Threats
Insiders can exploit their access and understanding of your network to steal data, compromise systems, and cause significant harm. Insider threats possess the potential to cause damage that often exceeds that of external attackers.
What is an example of an Insider Threat?
When a former employee retains access to systems, they become a potential threat to the organization. The reason for this is that they have the means and potentially the motive to execute the threat. It's for this reason that employee access to systems needs to be clearly documented, with offboarding procedures on how to revoke the access.
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Former employees who haven't had their old accounts disabled.
Cybercriminals who utilize social engineering tactics to extract sensitive information.
All options are correct.
Burglars who have broken into your building and gained access to your network.
What motivates an Insider Threat?
Insider threats can be motivated by various factors, including personal gain, financial incentives, revenge, ideological beliefs, coercion, and curiosity.
Is the following statement True or False:
Personal gain is one of the motivations behind insider threats.
Insider threats can be motivated by personal gain in various ways. Some individuals may seek to exploit their authorized access to acquire sensitive information or gain access to systems for financial benefits. This can involve stealing valuable data, intellectual property, or trade secrets to sell or use for personal gain.
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True
False
What can you do to protect your organization from Insider Threats?
IT security is a collective effort, and everyone in the organization plays a vital role. You can contribute by trusting your instincts, using data classification mechanisms, and actively promoting cyber security awareness.
Trust your instincts
Classify your documents
Foster a culture of security
If something seems off, go with your gut and report it. If you notice someone unexpectedly working long hours, displaying excessive curiosity about your sensitive projects, acting suspiciously, or showing resentment towards the organization. These are signs of a potential insider threat.
Classify documents by sensitivity and enforce least privilege access to protect sensitive information from potential insider threats. By prioritizing document protection and access control, you are effectively putting up internal walls, making it more difficult for an insider threat to inflict damage or acquire information.
Foster an atmosphere of positive communication and ethical behavior in your workplace. Encourage your colleagues to make security a top priority and stress the significance of promptly reporting any concerns or potential threats they come across.
What can individuals do to protect their organizations from insider threats?
Trusting your instincts is a valuable asset when it comes to identifying potential insider threats. If something seems off or raises suspicions, it's crucial to take it seriously and report it.
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Share sensitive information with colleagues to foster trust and collaboration.
Prioritise document protection without considering access control measures.
Trust their instincts and report any suspicious or unusual activities.
Ignore any suspicious activities or behaviors to avoid unnecessary conflict.
What is an effective strategy to reduce the likelihood of an insider threat occurring?
Least privilege access is the practice of granting individuals only the minimum level of access privileges necessary to perform their specific job functions. This limits the number of individuals who have access to sensitive information, minimizing the chances of insider misuse or accidental exposure.
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Using a password manager.
Encrypting all your personal files.
Using multi-factor authentication where possible.
Enforcing least privilege access.
Is the following statement True or False:
Enforcing least-privilege access is not an effective measure against insider threats.
Enforcing the principle of least privilege ensures that individuals only have access to the information necessary to perform their job functions. By restricting access rights to sensitive data on a need-to-know basis, organizations reduce the risk of unauthorized disclosure or abuse of information by insiders.
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True
False
What can insider threats potentially do within an organization?
Insider threats can exploit their insider status and knowledge of systems, processes, and architecture to carry out these activities, often causing significant harm due to their unrestricted access and understanding of the organization's infrastructure.
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Compromise systems and steal sensitive data.
Strengthen cyber security measures.
Defend sensitive data and systems.
Act as cyber security consultants.
Wrapping up
So remember, protecting your organization is a team effort. The best defense against insider threats is the insiders themselves. Always be on the lookout for suspicious behavior, and if something doesn't feel right, report it.
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