September is Insider Threat Awareness Month, and it is an especially propitious time to examine and assess your organization’s current insider risk management program. With remote work continuing for many companies for the foreseeable future, the risk of an insider incident occurring is greater than ever. With experts in place and an articulated, coherent strategy as the guide, organizations in every industry, from healthcare to finance and government to contractor, can strengthen their data security and protect themselves from the potentially disastrous consequences of an insider threat incident. Here are some of the ways your organization can practice greater overall awareness of potential insider threats.
Know the Facts Surrounding Insider Incidents
When formulating a strategy, or simply making any decision about your risk management program, keeping the facts in mind will help guide you towards better decision-making. For example, according to the Poneman Institute, nearly two-thirds of all insider threats are caused by the negligence of an employee, contractor, or other third party. How does that knowledge change the way you approach and develop your program? From this information, one would conclude that training and education could potentially have a sizable ROI through the prevention and advanced detection of insider threat incidents, and allocate budget and resources appropriately. Educate yourself on all of the latest facts surrounding what’s happening in the insider threat world right now and use these facts to inform your current and future planning.
Create an Organizational Culture of Security
While this ties into much of the above paragraph, creating and maintaining an effective insider risk management program isn’t the same as promoting a security culture throughout your entire organization. Creating awareness around security issues in your organization is something that is built up over time and through consistent practice. Education plays a massive role in building up this awareness. A sense of trust between security professionals and the rest of the employee base at large is also key here, and the best way to foster this is through transparency on all levels. You want your workforce to be allies in preventing insider threats, not adversaries. Recognize and call out examples of good user behavior that adheres to best practices. These steps may not seem like much at first, but by laying the foundation of organizational trust, you can set your company up for greater success in data security in the future.
Contact ITMG to Assess Your Current Capabilities and 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.