Addressing Cyberthreats Starts By Looking Inward
The person in charge of overseeing and leading the Cyber Security Consulting department at Verizon.
In the past, only a small percentage of workers were able to work remotely. However, this number has grown significantly and shows no indication of decreasing. Currently, 58% of Americans have the option to work from home for at least one day each week. As remote work is becoming a permanent part of our lives, organizations are placing greater emphasis on how to manage remote employees who have access to important IT systems. This is becoming a key consideration in terms of overall cybersecurity.
The impact caused by individuals who are newly recruited, leaving the organization, displaying negligence in their work, or working as outside contractors can be incredibly detrimental to an organization's data infrastructure. What occurs when a recently hired employee gains access to a confidential corporate network but lacks adequate guidance on utilizing it securely? How can the organization ensure the protection of its data in such cases? Just imagine the consequences if an employee is terminated but still holds access to crucial company tools and systems on their personal devices. It becomes even more concerning if they harbor dissatisfaction regarding their circumstances.
These internal risks, commonly referred to as insider threats, are frequently not reported as they are dealt with internally before gaining media attention. As a result, they are likely to be significantly underreported in cybersecurity statistics. However, when these incidents do become public, they often come with considerable potential financial and reputational damage.
Revamped Guide: Tackling Internal Cyber Risks
The security of remote workers is still a major issue for IT, but it is something that every member of an organization must comprehend and handle. Consequently, tasks such as training new employees and granting remote entry to company platforms through personal devices are transforming the risk environment into a joint duty between information security and human resources.
Establishing this partnership between the IT and HR departments may appear novel, however, as businesses scramble to recruit additional remote employees and uphold stringent security measures, it becomes imperative to unite individuals and procedures in order to educate on appropriate cyber practices and lessen potential security threats.
In the realm of cybersecurity, we refer to this playbook as an internal danger initiative. It serves as a structure employed by numerous establishments, encompassing established protocols and measures to assist in mitigating risks to company devices and systems, all the while aiming to streamline procedures for employees.
If you haven't established an internal threat program yet, take into account the potential dangers I've mentioned earlier in regards to the current situation of remote work, where accessing important systems can be as easy as tapping on a smartphone. While cybersecurity primarily focuses on safeguarding against external threats, it is equally important to address the risks that may arise internally.
A well-functioning insider threat program comprises various essential elements, and the primary one is robust identity administration. Ensuring that each staff member possesses a distinct user identification is the sole means to truly ascertain the true identity of the individual sitting behind the computer. Moreover, being able to view this identification is the initial phase in obtaining reliable knowledge about the person responsible for a specific action.
After that, it's important to make sure you have reliable automated recording and analysis of the endpoints to pinpoint and identify issues in real time. This functionality allows you to observe and assess patterns to determine whether a particular staff member is transferring files to a USB drive when they shouldn't be, as an instance.
Beginning an insider threat program can occur through various methods:
Human Touch Still Essential
Just like with anything related to cybersecurity, having these technological tools and systems in position doesn't hold any significance unless employees have knowledge about the most effective methods for cyber cleanliness from the beginning. You may create the most remarkable device to catch mice, but it's useless if nobody knows how to utilize it. Educating employees about the best ways to practice cybersecurity can greatly reduce risks among those who may lack awareness in this area.
This is also where working with the HR department becomes crucial. Ensuring that new employees are properly introduced to the company and continuously trained is vital in order to keep remote workers well-informed about the necessary and unnecessary actions within your internal cybersecurity environment.
While there isn't a universal solution to prevent internal risks, implementing an insider threat program can effectively reduce the likelihood of harm. Investing the necessary time and effort in creating and maintaining such a program is well worth it when considering the potential harm it can prevent for both your business and customers in the future.
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