Insider Threats: What Enterprises Need To Know

• Insider threats are the second biggest concern for security teams in 2026. Learn more about this risk and what threat took the number one spot in The State of Security 2026 (opens in a new window)
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With the pace of innovation today, it’s only natural for security priorities to shift towards high-tech threats. But tunnel vision can be a dangerous thing. Insider threats don’t need to be cutting-edge to bring your website to its knees. All it takes is one weak link within your enterprise, and your system can be completely compromised by someone who was trusted with inside access.

In this article, we’ll cover what enterprises need to know about insider threats, including the different types and overall consequences. We’ll also provide 3 strategies for mitigating this risk well before it rears its ugly head.

Let’s get started.

What are insider threats?

Insider threats occur when someone with authorized access to or knowledge of an organization uses it to cause harm to said organization. This can look like stealing data to sell to competitors, leaking information online, or directly sabotaging the company’s tech stack or reputation.

Insider threats tend to be a blind spot because it’s hard to imagine a serious attack coming from the people you work with. But unfortunately, no organization is immune to this brand of betrayal:

• At Google, a software engineer stole over 1,000 confidential files (opens in a new window) containing AI trade secrets to benefit two rival companies he was secretly working for
• At Tesla, a disgruntled former employee stole over 23,000 files (opens in a new window) with sensitive employee data – including the CEO’s social security number
• At the Ministry of Defence, the classified identities of at least 20 elite special forces soldiers in the UK were accidentally made publicly available online (opens in a new window)

Types of insider threats

Insider threats tend to fall into three categories: Intentional, accidental, and third-party.

Intentional insider threats

Intentional insider threats – also known as malicious insider threats – are when an insider deliberately causes harm.

Motivations behind this include:

• Financial and professional gain. Users who steal insider information in hopes of selling it to a competitor or using the data to advance their own careers.
• Personal grievance. Employees who feel they’ve been wronged abusing their access to get revenge. This can come from a perceived slight, lack of recognition, or termination of employment.
• Public exposure. An insider exposing trade secrets and/or classified information in hopes of affecting the company’s industry standing or reputation.

Whatever their reason, intentional insider threats share a common root: deliberate, knowing attempts to harm the organization.

Accidental insider threats

On the other side of the coin are accidental insider threats. These incidents carry no malice or intent, and the culprit may not even be aware of what they’ve done. Nevertheless, the impact can be just as catastrophic.

Accidental insider threats arise from:

• Negligence. Employees failing to follow clearly stated organizational security policies. Examples include reusing insecure passwords or intentionally bypassing security measures for the sake of convenience.
• Human error. Mistakes made with good intentions. Think sending a confidential email to the wrong person with a similar name, or falling for a sophisticated phishing scheme.

Third-party insider threats

Third-party insider threats originate not with your teammates, but from others who have equally legitimate access to your system. This could be vendors you work with or partners who need access to your data – any party that operates inside your organization in some capacity, but is ultimately outside of your direct control. Third-party risks can be intentional or accidental.

Consequences of insider threats

Like any security risk, insider threats carry devastating potential:

• Financial loss: penalties for regulatory infractions, cash needed to neutralize the risk, legal fees, costs associated with reputation restoration, cost of upgrading security to avoid future incidents, and loss of business from reputation damage or downtime.
• Reputation damage: loss of trust from customers, loss of opportunities from collaborators, and damage to industry standing.
• Degradation of company culture: low morale, increased scrutiny for team members, and slower workflows while navigating new and heavier controls.
• Regulatory consequences: triggering of internal audits, fines, and legal action if regulatory bodies find your organization in violation of standards like GDPR, HIPAA, or SOC 2.

Given the uniquely destructive potential of insider threats to enterprises, it’s crucial to prevent them before they occur.

3 ways to prevent insider threats

Fortunately, there are a few targeted security measures that you can take. Here are 3 strategies for safeguarding your systems from insider threats.

1. Be stingy with your site access

The best way to decrease the likelihood of an insider threat is to decrease the number of insiders. If someone doesn’t need access to a certain tool or system, they shouldn’t have it. This is referred to as following the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP). By only providing the minimum access rights necessary, you’re shrinking the potential attack surface without impacting your team’s ability to operate.

On top of using the PoLP, good password practices are critical. Prevent credential sharing, encourage the use of randomized passwords, and update them regularly. This helps prevent a password from being stolen or misused after someone is terminated.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) can further secure access. This security measure requires team members to validate their identity with a second method (a phone code, biometric information, authenticator app, etc) to gain access. If a password is stolen or a former teammate tries to log in, there’s an extra barrier to prevent access.

2. Create a safety-first culture

Remember, not all insider threats are malicious! Sometimes, a well-meaning team member can throw the company into a full-blown crisis. The best way to prevent that is to make security a part of everything your company does. When safe practices are second nature, people are less likely to make mistakes.

During security training, make sure to emphasize that security is a shared responsibility. Adding quizzes throughout the process can also help ensure teammates – especially long-term employees who have gone through a few training cycles already – pay attention and internalize the advice.

It also helps to make all security policies clearly written and easily accessible. With a handy reference, team members will be more likely to double-check before taking any potentially risky actions. This is also a good place to keep info on reporting possible security incidents or insider threats.

3. Choose technology resistant to insider threats

Your tech’s built-in security features can play an important role in keeping access permissions where they belong.

This will look a little different depending on the specific tech stack your enterprise uses, but a few examples of features to keep an eye out for include:

• Content Management Systems (CMSs): Role-Based Access Controls (RBACs), MFA for all privileged accounts, certificate-based authentication, ISO27001 certification (opens in a new window), and strict dependency management to monitor third parties.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software: RBAC, continuous activity monitoring, data encryption, and automated account locking upon suspicious action.
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems: Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for sensitive info, endpoint and network monitoring, activity auditing, network segmentation, and zero trust model options (assuming no user or access device is inherently trustworthy).

When you’re at the stage of assessing a vendor or tool’s security capabilities, throw in a few questions about managing user roles throughout the employee lifecycle. It might just save you countless hours and resources down the line.

Insider threats: Key takeaways

Insider threats can seem hard to wrap your head around – after all, no one wants to believe the people they work with could be responsible for a major breach. Fortunately, implementing a few simple yet effective strategies can keep you safe without slowing you down.

By preparing policies that encourage strict access permissions, engaged team awareness, and safety-conscious tech choices, you can reduce the attack surface of your enterprise and increase trust for all team members.