As more companies struggle with data breaches and unexpected misuse of critical information, it is necessary to evaluate and seal all possible loopholes within the firewalls of an organization. The term “insider threats” may seem like a generic one, but it remains among the most relevant ones, considering that a number of recent data breaches can be traced to company sources. In simple words, insider threats basically refer to all cyberattacks that have been caused by people related to the organization, or those who had access to relevant information.
Decoding insider threats
However, unlike external threats, internal data breaches are not always intentional. Sometimes, a breach is just an act of unintentional negligence or error, or compromised security. For instance, if someone managed their way into a system and hacked it because they had a manager’s credentials. For companies, it is not enough to simply train employees, but to tackle insider threats better, they must find ways for data protection. An organization needs to be aware of the data they possess, and the people who have access to that data, at various levels within the enterprise. In more practical words, this could be called access management, and this comes in handy in closing all possible holes within the security holes.
How are insider threats different?
Insiders don’t have to try hard to breach firewall perimeters to cause a breach. As such, the firewalls or other resources used by an organization to prevent cyberattacks do not automatically tackle the aspects of insider threats. Most of the time, insider threats are accidental, and often related to a specific action. This can happen when employees have access to data they should be accessing, or when they are authorized for actions that can be prevented. Access management is not just a choice, but a necessity for companies that seek to handle insider threats with a proactive stance.
IAM tool and more
Identity and access management (IAM) is a tool that allows companies to refine, rethink, redefine and review access management as required. There are many options in IAM, but the best ones are designed to automate what’s possible and define the way access management is evaluated. Companies can also choose to have a fair idea of where they stand in terms of data protection, and can take corrective steps to prevent all kinds of insider threats.
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