Compromised Insider
A compromised insider is a trusted user, account, device, or relationship that is used by an unauthorized party to access organizational resources.
The person may not be acting intentionally. The risk comes from trusted access being controlled or exploited by someone else.
Why it Matters for Insider Risk Exposure
Connects insider risk to account takeover and credential misuse.
Requires coordination between insider-risk teams and cyber incident response.
Helps avoid blaming users when compromise is the real cause.
Real-World Scenarios / Examples
- Phished employee account used to download files.
- Stolen VPN credentials.
- Compromised contractor laptop.
- OAuth token used by an attacker.
Common Mistakes / Misconceptions
- Treating account activity as proof of user intent.
- Failing to preserve cyber evidence.
- Not reviewing access paths after containment.
Insider Risk Capability Framework™ (IRCF™) Alignment
Strong alignment with IAM, Monitoring, Analysis, Investigation, and Data Protection.
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