With insider risk management being a key focus for business and other organizations, a few common misconceptions have also taken root and spread.
With businesses in all industries renewing their focus on insider risk management and preventing costly data breaches, more attention has been given to the fundamental security concepts underpinning the strategy behind it. As more people become aware of insider risk management, however, the more likely it is for inaccurate assumptions and information to propagate. It’s challenging for security professionals to stay accurately informed on the topic with so many other projects and priorities on their plates that they have to deal with. It is, however, critically important to the well-being of their organizations that these professionals avoid common myths surrounding insider risk management. Here are three of the most common misconceptions to watch out for and avoid.
1. The Problem Begins and Ends with the Data
It’s natural to assume that the only cause of a data breach was a problem inherent in the data or the containers (i.e. networks, servers) that transport and store the data. The remedy generally involves correcting the issue by investing resources into making data more transparent, or at the very least more visible. However, this doesn’t take the full picture into account. There’s the information being stolen (the data) and the entity stealing it – the insider threat. A well-designed insider risk management system takes a good look at people – data doesn’t just leak itself; people are the ones who attempt to steal it or are responsible for mishandling it. So, instead of viewing insider risk management exclusively as a question of managing data, it should rather be seen as an extension of your personnel management systems as well.
2. Investing in Early Detection Isn’t Worth It
The thought here stems from the idea that, by the time your team detects an insider threat, it is already too late to prevent an insider event from happening. This notion couldn’t be further from the truth. Real-time detection is not only effective at stopping events, it is a fundamental concept employed by leading security teams. Early detection allows a security team to intervene and prevent major damage to the organization before it’s too late. Monitoring of data, people, and the interaction between the two is necessary to obtain actionable visibility to prevent, detect, and remediate insider threats. Moreover, monitoring supports compliance and productivity in addition to security equities and is also effective at limiting liabilities and certain legal entanglements.
3. Insider Risk Management is only a Job for Our Security Team
Since insider risk management is heavily involved with the security of data, that means the job falls to the security team alone to handle. This line of thinking imagines the rest of the employees at the organization, in the best-case scenario, as passive observers. However, it’s important to note that the most successful insider risk management programs use employee training as a pillar of success. Employees can often be one of the best early detectors of suspicious behavior. Thus, we believe that success in managing insider risk is not just the responsibility of your security team – it’s the responsibility of your entire organization.
Contact ITMG to 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.