Insiders

Introduction In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, threats come from various sources, but perhaps one of the most challenging to combat is the threat posed by insiders. Insiders, who are often trusted employees or individuals within an organization, have privileged access to sensitive information, systems, and networks. While not all insiders have malicious intent, their actions can inadvertently or intentionally compromise an organization's security.		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Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange - CCTX - Network cyber security - An introduction Chainalysis - Crypto Mixers and AML Compliance CISA - Cybersecurity Toolkit and Resources to Protect Elections CISA Cybersecurity Publications Consumer Reports - Spot Malicious Sites and Phishing Attempts Consumer Reports - Stick to Official App Stores CrowdStrike - CYBERSECURITY 101 - THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CYBERSECURITY Crystal - Crystal School of Crypto Compliace and Investigators Cyber Security Tools by SANS Instructors Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency - Downloading and Installing CSET Digital Transformation Hub - Best-Practice Cyber Security Governance Digital Transformation Hub - Cyber Security - What it is and Why it Matters Digital Transformation Hub - Making the Internet a Safe Place for All Digital Transformation Hub - More Cyber Security Resources Digital Transformation Hub - Why Cyber Security is so Important FBI - Safe Online Surfing Federal Trade Commission - Cybersecurity for Small Business Federal Trade Commission - Physical Security Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice - Cybersecurity Resources for Non-Profits Freedom of the Press Foundation - Your smartphone and you - A handbook to modern mobile maintenance Global Cyber Alliance - 2FA Global Cyber Alliance - Cybersecurity Toolkit for Elections IDCARE - Apps & Tools IDCARE - Apps - Tools INFOGUARD Cybersecurity - Cybersecurity Tips for Journalists International Center for Journalists - Strengthening Digital Security for Journalists and Civil Society Advocates in Latin America Internetmatters - Guide to Apps Internetmatters - My Family's Digital Toolkit Internetmatters - Online Safety Leaflets & Resources National Council of Nonprofits - Cybersecurity for Nonprofits National Council of Nonprofits - Protect the Future of Your Nonprofits Data National Cyber Security Centre - Cyber Security - Small Charity Guide National Cybersecurity Alliance - Career + Education Library National Cybersecurity Alliance - Online Safety - Privacy Basics- Resources & Guides NetApp - Backup and Recovery NetApp - What Is Backup and Recovery NordVPN - What are scam websites, and how can you tell if a page is fake PBS - Cyber Labs Right To Be - Cybersecurity Resources SecureTheVillage - Community Engagement Program Secureworks PhishInSuits Security First - Umbrella Simplilearn - Cyber Security Full Course - Cyber Security Training for Beginners in 2022 - Simplilearn SiteLock - Website Monitoring - Why It Is Important Splunk Training USCC - Cyber Quests VPN Ratings - VPN VPN Ratings - What is a VPN VPN Ratings - What is a VPN? Wipfli - Cybersecurity 101 - What does it Involve and What Should you Invest in Wipfli - How CEOs can be Proactive in Cybersecurity Wipfli - Investing in Cybersecurity Pays Dividends Wipfli - Multifactor Authentication - Why you Need it Now Security Information & Event Management (SIEM) AT&T Cybersecurity - AlienVault OSSIM AWS - AWS IoT Device Defender Blumira - Automated Cloud SIEM Broadcom Symantec Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Caldera - MITRE ATT&CK Cascade - MITRE ATT&CK Check Point - Horizon Events Check Point - Security Management Portal Check Point - WatchTower Security Management App CISA - Malcolm Cisco SecureX CrowdStrike - Falcon Complete LogScale CrowdStrike - Falcon LogScale CrowdStrike - Falcon Long Term Repository CrowdStrike - Falcon NextGen SIEM and Log Management Elastic SIEM Forescout - Forescout Hybrid-Analysis - Sandbox Scryer Mandiant Attack Surface Management Mandiant Azure AD Investigator Microsoft - Azure IoT Hub Microsoft - MSTICpy Microsoft PsExec Nagios - Nagios Log Server Open Source - RITA Open Source - Security Onion Opentext - ArcSight Opentext - ArcSight Recon Perception Point SANS Institute - Grok SANS Institute - GTF SANS Institute - Icinga SANS Institute - Iftop SANS Institute - Inkscape SANS Institute - Moloch SANS Institute - MPTCPdump SANS Institute - Ncat SANS Institute - PCAPNG Tools SANS Institute - QUIL SANS Institute - Scapy SANS Institute - SecopsGenie SANS Institute - SiLK SANS Institute - SolarWinds Security Essentials SANS Institute - Splunk SANS Institute - traceroute SANS Institute - Traffic Inspector SANS Institute - Tshark SANS Institute - Wireshark Plugins Secureworks Dalton Snort - Snort Splunk Attack Detection Collector - ADC Splunk Connect for Syslog Splunk Synthetic Adversarial Log Objects - SALO Splunk Training Tripwire - Security Configuration Management (SCM) Solution Tripwire - Simplify Event Monitoring with Tripwire LogCenter Tripwire - Tripwire ExpertOps - Managed Cybersecurity - Compliance UTMStack Wireshark - Wireshark Anti-virus & Anti-malware Software Akamai - Secure Internet Access Enterprise Apple - iOS Security Apple - iPadOS Security Avast - Avast Antivirus Avast - Avast Mobile Security AVG - AVG Antivirus Pro Center for Internet Security - MS-ISAC Endpoint Security Services Cisco - ClamAV Cisco - Immunet Antivirus CNET - How to check your Android phone for malicious apps Forcepoint - Zero Trust CDR Fortinet - Fortinet FortiGate Google - Use Google Play Protect to help keep your apps safe and your data private Google Safe Browsing Guardio - Guardio Heimdal - Application Control Lifehacker - How Can You Tell if an App Is Malware Lifehacker - How Can You Tell if an App Is Malware? 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Types of Malware Accidental Data Leakage One of the most common insider threats is accidental data leakage. Employees might send sensitive information to the wrong recipient, mishandle data, or unintentionally introduce malware into the system. These actions can result from negligence or a lack of proper training. Malicious Insiders Some insiders, driven by personal gain or grudges against the organization, may deliberately compromise security. They can intentionally steal sensitive data, introduce viruses, or disrupt operations from within. Detecting and mitigating such threats often requires advanced monitoring and investigation techniques. Sabotage Disgruntled employees may attempt to sabotage an organization's systems or operations, causing significant damage. Organizations need to have mechanisms in place to detect and respond to such threats promptly. Inadequate Insider Monitoring Failing to monitor insider activities effectively can leave an organization vulnerable. Implementing robust monitoring systems and regularly reviewing access logs can help detect and respond to suspicious behavior.		Distribution and Infection Third-Party Risk Contractors, suppliers, and partners can also pose insider threats if they have access to an organization's systems. It is essential to extend security measures to these third parties and regularly assess their security practices. Insider Collaboration with External Threat Actors Insiders can collaborate with external threat actors, such as hackers or cybercriminals, to compromise an organization's security. Identifying and disrupting such collaborations can be challenging but is crucial. Phishing and Social Engineering Insiders can fall victim to phishing attacks or social engineering tactics, inadvertently providing access to their accounts or sharing credentials with malicious actors. This can be prevented by training employees to recognize and respond to these types of threats. Unauthorized Access Trusted insiders can abuse their access privileges. This can include accessing systems or data without authorization, leading to data breaches or unauthorized modifications. Regular access reviews and least privilege principles can help mitigate this risk.
Conclusion To combat these insider threats effectively, organizations must adopt a multi-faceted approach that includes a combination of robust security policies, ongoing employee training programs, access control measures, monitoring tools, and incident response plans. Additionally, fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness and trust within the organization can go a long way, as cybersecurity is not just a technological challenge; it is a people and process challenge as well.