What is 'insider threat'?

An insider threat refers to the risk that comes from individuals who are already within the organization, such as employees, contractors, or business partners, who misuse their access to sensitive information or systems. This could involve various forms of malicious activities, such as stealing data, sabotaging systems, or leaking confidential information, often taking advantage of their legitimate access rights.

This definition emphasizes that the threat comes from individuals who have inside knowledge or access, making it particularly challenging to detect and mitigate these threats compared to external attacks, which tend to come from individuals without access rights. Understanding insider threats is essential for organizations to implement effective security measures, training, and monitoring to protect against potential misuse of access by trusted individuals.