The problem posed by insider threats is getting bigger, with 68% of organizations reporting a rise in the frequency of insider attacks in the past 12 months. Insider threats refer to cyber threats that originate from within an organization, meaning employees with authorized access exploit their privilege to steal or leak confidential data. However, insider attacks are not always intentional, and privileged IT users sometimes unwittingly end up compromising their company’s security. In fact, negligent employees or contractors are responsible for 62% of insider incidents.
The potential consequences of insider threat attacks shouldn’t be overlooked. Business leaders are increasingly realizing the importance of making sure their sensitive assets are secure, as the organization's revenue and reputation are at stake. Companies must make it a priority to improve identity security in order to safeguard their critical assets. In particular, controlling who has privileged access to sensitive information is vital to prevent data leaks originating from within the organization.
