A new guide by Wing Security sheds light on the importance of insider risk management (IRM) in cybersecurity. Insider threats, which come from individuals within an organization who have access to sensitive data, systems, or resources, can be classified into two categories: malicious insiders and negligent insiders. Malicious insiders intentionally exploit vulnerabilities or cause harm to an organization, while negligent insiders compromise security through careless actions or lack of awareness about cybersecurity best practices.
To effectively manage insider risks, organizations must adopt a comprehensive approach that encompasses technical, procedural, and human elements. Technological measures such as access controls, encryption, and monitoring systems play a crucial role in detecting and preventing unauthorized access or suspicious activities by insiders. However, with the rise of cloud-based environments and the increasing use of software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications, it is essential to consider IRM through the lens of SaaS security.
Security posture management (SSPM) solutions focus on ensuring the safe use of SaaS applications within organizations. These solutions are vital because SaaS applications have become the new decentralized way of working and often require access to company data. Many employees willingly grant SaaS applications access to sensitive data without involving IT or security teams. SSPM provides systematic, structured, and automated approaches to ensure that insiders using SaaS applications comply with the organization’s security procedures and that these policies are effectively implemented, consistently enforced, and continuously improved.
SSPM solutions help organizations establish more control over both negligent and malicious insiders. For negligent insiders, SSPM can alert or revoke access when they attempt to use risky SaaS applications to access sensitive company data. While these applications may seem benign, they can pose an immediate threat to an organization and therefore their access must be revoked. A recent security survey revealed that employees in 84% of surveyed companies used an average of 3.5 risky SaaS applications.
SSPM solutions continuously monitor organizations’ SaaS environments, identify new SaaS applications, and analyze their security levels. By doing so, security and IT teams can address shadow IT problems, gain visibility into the nature of these applications, and implement automated remediation paths within SaaS products, saving time for administrators and security teams.
For malicious insiders, SSPM can help prevent the theft of sensitive company data. Disgruntled employees who have authorized access to sensitive information may attempt to exploit their position for personal gain or to harm the organization. SSPM solutions can alert security teams when employees attempt to download or forward data residing on business-critical applications such as Google Drive or Dropbox, allowing prompt action to be taken. Additionally, SSPM enables companies to securely offboard users by severing all ties between departing employees and their SaaS applications, ensuring that access is promptly revoked and compliance standards are maintained.
In summary, insider risk management is a crucial aspect of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. Leveraging SSPM technologies can help mitigate the most common and critical insider threats posed by both negligent and malicious insiders. To learn more about how SSPM can enhance protection against these threats, organizations can download the guide “Insider Risk Management and SSPM: A Guide to Ensuring Your Data Is Safe.”
About the Author:
Yoav Kalati, the head of the Threat Intelligence department at Wing Security, has over 15 years of experience in cyber defense at both national and international levels. He began his career in the Israeli military’s 8200 unit, serving in various cyber defense roles and retiring from the military’s Cyber Threat Intelligence Department. Kalati has received certificates of excellence from top military intelligence and cyber defense divisions. He joined Wing Security in 2022, bringing his expertise to the organization’s efforts in combating cyber threats.