Security threats from insiders will damage the organization to a great extent. While businesses focus on the outside threat, they pay very little attention to insiders. According to bloomberg.com to surveys and research, insider threat perception is equivalent or much greater than the outsiders. Hence, organizations should place adequate checks and balances to mitigate the danger.
Steps to prevent insider threats
Non-disclosure agreement – While performing the duties, the insiders should sign at the designated column to disclose classified information of the organization. The employees will also sign a similar clause while executing the contract with the company.
If the employee fails in non-disclosure of information, the following action can be initiated:
- Levy of penalty or fine by the administration
- Disciplinary action by HR department either by suspension or dismissal from service
- Claiming compensation from the employee (in proportion to the damage)
- Criminal liability (In severe cases)
Separation of duties
To prevent the insider threat, the separation of duties by employees will help the organization. For example, access to network resources in an organization should be made as per the nature of work and job role. However, the separation of duties should not affect the collaboration jobs performed by employees.
Password reset at regular intervals
The password to access various applications and servers should be reset at regular intervals. Even though it consumes more time, the practice will safeguard sensitive information. If an employee leaves the organization, the password should be reset immediately. If a user is terminated, the user account can be disabled as a best practice. By conducting audits at regular intervals, you will ensure that passwords are changed at regular intervals.
Enforcement of policies and controls
The organizational policies and messages should be documented, and they should be conveyed to employees consistently. Information security and staff monitoring can be done by deploying software tools. Employees should be aware of acceptable ways and disclosure of various systems and resources of the organization.
Protection of critical assets
The organization should identify the critical assets that have a competitive advantage. There are various kinds of assets that, when altered or stolen, will have a substantial negative impact on the growth of the company.
Conclusion
Organizations should implement the latest and robust mechanisms to monitor information leakage from insiders. The fool-proof system should be deployed regardless of the size or business domain.
