disgruntled

Insider hacking is serious business

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Disgruntled staff members abusing technology or network resources is a serious concern for businesses, but it's one of the most difficult to resolve. There are four reasons staff may act maliciously: ego, financial motivation, ideology and compromise, such as being a victim of blackmail. Technology exacerbates the problem, because tools like iPods and flash drives make malicious acts so much easier. It's difficult to thwart these inside hackers because they often look and act like other staff members. In fact, their actions often make them look like ambitious employees. Start by making sure you have effective grievance procedures. Pay close attention to staff once they have given notice of resignation; ensure all access and permissions are revoked on their last day and consider what access they should have during their final days on the job. But monitoring too heavily can have a negative impact; staff who feel that they are being treated like criminals may choose to behave like criminals.

Learn more about insider attacks:
- read the article at Silicon

ALSO:
- read this on avoiding insider attacks
- and this on the security enemy within

Data left behind poses a big risk

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 19:01:36 -0500

While it may seem that laptop data theft is primarily due to thieves and disgruntled ex-employees, it looks like plain old user forgetfulness is the major reason mobile devices go missing. A new report from Pointsec Mobile Technologies states that over 10,000 devices such as PDAs, cell phones and laptops were left behind in taxi cabs, in the Washington, DC area alone, during a six month period. While the majority of these devices found their way back to owners, it's still clear that tons of confidential data--from contact information and messaging content to files on corporate initiatives--could potentially end up in the wrong hands.

For more on the real threat to mobile data:
- read the news at CSO online

Related Article: Picking the right mobile device for road warriors. Article

Inside breaches often go unnoticed

Tue, 12 Sep 2006 20:01:38 -0400

It's a well-known fact that the biggest security risk facing enterprises is the internal element--the disgruntled or fired employee. However you might not be aware of another risk; many organizations are the unwitting victims of breaches caused by their employees' careless actions. According to a new survey by the Ponemon Institute, a lack of leadership and resources are to blame.

For more insight on internal security risks:
- read the article over at Computerworld

Using behavioral markers to keep internal risk low

Sun, 27 Aug 2006 20:01:35 -0400

Internal risks are a major culprit when it comes to unauthorized network access and data leaks but trying to figure out which employees, if any, pose that type of danger can be daunting (unless they clearly display disgruntled behavior). However, as some experts advise, there are ways to spot such problem employees before they do any damage, through behavior assessment. Big signs include aggression in the workplace, insubordinate acts, and nasty communication with coworkers and supervisors. They're called behavioral markers and paying attention to them can help IT ensure that the internal risk factor stays low.

For more on identifying employee malcontents:
- read this article at InformationWeek