Insider threats represent a significant risk to organisational security and operational continuity. Unlike external attackers, insiders have authorised access to systems, networks, and data, making their actions more difficult to detect and prevent. These threats can originate from current or former employees, contractors, or business partners who misuse their access—intentionally or unintentionally—to harm the organisation.

We have experience with counter corruption matters, both strategically and operationally, in order to give you rounded advice on where to focus.

Types of Insider Threats

1. Malicious Insiders: Individuals who deliberately seek to cause harm to the organisation. Motivations may include financial gain, revenge, ideology, or coercion.
2. Negligent Insiders: Employees who unintentionally cause harm through carelessness or lack of awareness, such as by clicking on phishing emails or mishandling sensitive information.
3. Compromised Insiders: Users whose credentials or accounts have been stolen or exploited by external attackers, effectively turning them into unwitting participants in an attack.

Common Insider Threat Activities

• Unauthorised data exfiltration (e.g., downloading sensitive files to personal devices)
• Intellectual property theft
• Sabotage of systems or data – e.g. inserting rogue code
• Bypassing security protocols
• Sharing credentials or failing to use secure authentication

Risk Factors

Several conditions increase the likelihood of insider threats, including:

• Lack of effective access controls and/or monitoring
• Poor security awareness training and culture
• Disgruntled or disengaged employees
• Inadequate offboarding procedures
• Excessive or unnecessary user privileges

Detection and Mitigation

Organisations can mitigate insider threats through a combination of technical, procedural, and behavioural strategies. At Hawkshaw we can assist in forming these and ensuring that your organisation is less likely to be at risk of future compromise.