Unintentional insider threats constitute the vast majority of incidents – here’s how your team can help your employees avoid the mistakes that can lead to them.
There are two main kinds of insider threats that security teams at the organizational level need to be on the lookout for. The first is the intentional insider threat, where the individual involved knows what they are doing and has malicious intentions for doing so. These can range from the financial to the political and more, and it’s important to keep a close eye on the various signs of a potential malicious insider. But the second type of insider is arguably more important and yet harder to monitor – the unintentional insider threat. Often, mistakes made by good people can lead to serious trouble for your organization. It is up to you and your security team to help coach your employees and provide training and opportunities for learning. Here are some of the ways you can teach your employees to avoid the mistakes which can lead to unintentional insider incidents.
Avoiding Phishing Attempts
Despite the fact that phishing attacks have been around for about as long as email has existed, they continue to prove an effective way for attackers to get a hold of sensitive login data from users. The risks are not just limited to the rank and file, either. C-suite and other high-level execs can be targeted as well. To counter this, many cybersecurity teams employ the strategy of deliberately sending fake phishing emails to their employees, tracking which ones fall for it, and then bringing them in for training later on. You can also run regular seminars with your employees to give them refreshers on what a social engineering attack looks like, as well as provide step-by-step instructions on how to handle them according to best practices.
Alert Systems
No matter how many training sessions on standard operating procedures and best practices your employees may attend, there’s still a chance that they may end up making a mistake somewhere down the line. For this situation, a security monitoring software may be a great fit for your team. This software can automatically recognize potential policy violations as they occur and send out alerts to the user in real-time. Your security team is also alerted and can follow-up with the employee as needed depending on the context of the situation.
Set the Tone When Onboarding
Onboarding provides a unique opportunity to give your new employees their first impressions when it comes to your security team and you should take this opportunity seriously. Ensure that your security team is fully part of this onboarding process for every employee and every independent contractor that your team brings on. It’s helpful for new team members to put a face to a department, and this is especially true of your cybersecurity team. Your team members can be your greatest allies in the fight against insider threats, so set the tone early!
Contact ITMG to Assess Your Current Capabilities and Develop Strategies and Protocols Designed to Help Your Company Mitigate Your Insider Risk
ITMG is an industry leader in helping organizations throughout the United States strengthen their insider risk management programs and secure sensitive data and intellectual property. Our team of bona fide experts has the real-world experience necessary to plan out and create holistic security solutions tailored to the special needs and risks in your industry. Contact ITMG today to learn more about how we can help! You can also visit our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages for more updates and insights into the world of insider risk management.