Insider threats: what they are, what types there are, and how to counter them
There’s often a lot of talk about external threats, but have you ever stopped to think about the insider threats that may leave your company vulnerable? An insider threat usually stems from so-called internal agents or insiders, i.e. people who are part of a company's staff or are familiar with the corporation's routine and seek to threaten the company's security in some way. 
Criminals and organized gangs usually come to mind first whenever the topic is cybersecurity, but we should never overlook the insider risks that can lead to huge losses for a company – and therefore need to be identified and mitigated quickly.
Insider threats can be divided into two categories: intentional and unintentional. The first group includes employees who are unhappy with their work or who have joined the team with bad intentions. They may act as spies for competitors, steal sensitive data for themselves, or even work alongside cybercriminals, helping them infect the corporate network with malware. All these actions are usually financially motivated.
An employee may potentially become an internal threat after experiencing some form of conflict with corporate management, such as dismissals considered unfair. There are records of former employees who, out of pure revenge, decided to use their privileged knowledge (and still active access credentials) to cause damage after being abruptly terminated.
It was unintentional!
On the other hand, sometimes people can unintentionally become insider threats. In this case, we’re talking about employees who make mistakes because of carelessness or inattention, putting sensitive information and critical documents at risk. These are employees who disregard the company's information security policy, mishandle sensitive data, or fall victim to fraud through things like the classic phishing scam. Although unintentional, this type of insider threat is equally dangerous, since it may result, for example, in data leaks due to misconfigured cloud environments or the accidental sharing of documents with people who do not have the authority to access them.
Finally, despite not actually being considered an insider threat by some experts in the field, it is worth mentioning an "extra" category: partners and outsourced employees. Nowadays, all companies rely on an ecosystem of suppliers that provide services, and often these suppliers also need to deal with sensitive information and records, but they may not adopt as many cybersecurity controls as the hiring company, thereby putting them at risk.
Is there a solution?
Security awareness programs are always the best way to reinforce good cyber hygiene practices among employees, helping them understand the importance of following established policies and educating them about external threats. Everyone must know how to identify and report strange situations and behaviors to avoid the risk of potential insider threats. Tackling intentional threats can be more difficult, so it is important to incorporate other strategies, such as adopting Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solutions.
It is vital to conduct a prior audit of partners and outsourced staff before closing any kind of contract that may put your data and your environment at risk due to external factors. It is worth taking the time for a calm conversation to understand how potential suppliers protect themselves against information security incidents, choosing the one that is most aligned with your level of investment in the matter.
