Possible indicators of an insider threat include:
- Unusual behavior such as sudden changes in attitude, expressing dissatisfaction with the organization, financial pressures or unexplained affluence, and working unusual hours.
- Access abuse like accessing sensitive or irrelevant data not related to one’s job, unauthorized access attempts, and increased requests for elevated privileges.
- Excessive or unusual data downloads or transfers, especially before resignation or during off-hours.
- Use of unauthorized or unsanctioned software and devices.
- Network anomalies such as unusual connections, repeated access attempts, or attempts to bypass security controls.
- Suspicious system usage like running unauthorized scripts or applications.
- Renaming files where the extension doesn’t match the content, which might be an attempt to hide data exfiltration.
- Departure-related behaviors including data collection or forwarding content before leaving the company.
- Poor cyber hygiene such as password sharing, falling victim to phishing repeatedly, or ignoring security policies.
- Behavioral red flags like workplace conflicts or policy violations.
Spotting a combination of these signs increases the likelihood of an insider threat.
