What is the goal of an insider threat program?

The primary goal of an insider threat program is to mitigate the risk posed by individuals with privileged access to an organization's assets and information who could potentially harm the organization intentionally or unintentionally. This involves establishing a comprehensive framework for identifying, assessing, and managing potential insider threats. The program aims to:

• Deter: Discouraging individuals from engaging in malicious or negligent behavior through awareness training and policy enforcement. This includes clearly defining acceptable use policies and communicating the consequences of policy violations.
• Detect: Implementing mechanisms to identify unusual or suspicious activity that could indicate an insider threat. This often involves using security information and event management (SIEM) systems, user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA), and other monitoring tools.
• Assess: Evaluating the credibility and potential impact of identified threats. This includes conducting investigations to gather more information and determine the level of risk posed by the individual.
• Respond: Developing and implementing appropriate responses to mitigate the threat and minimize potential damage. This may involve actions such as revoking access privileges, initiating disciplinary action, or contacting law enforcement.
• Prevent: Implementing proactive measures to reduce the likelihood of insider threats, such as enhanced background checks, improved access controls, and robust data loss prevention (DLP) policies.

In essence, an insider threat program strives to protect an organization's valuable assets from unauthorized access, disclosure, modification, or destruction by insiders. It aims to create a culture of security awareness and accountability, ensuring that employees understand their responsibilities in protecting sensitive information. This includes training on how to identify and report suspicious behavior. The focus is not necessarily on punishing malicious actors but also on addressing accidental or negligent actions that could lead to security breaches. A successful program requires collaboration between various departments, including HR, legal, IT, and security.

Important Subjects:

• Insider Threat
• Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
• Access Controls
• Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
• User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA)