The insider threat: Data at risk from internal employees

Category: Data management

20 September, 2012

Company data management is increasingly coming under internal threat from employees.

When staff have passed security checks, they are granted access to a wealth of confidential data. If placed in the wrong hands, this data can easily be exploited.

Although the ratio of internal exploitation to external threat is still small – the consequences can be more severe if a company is abused by employees.

Businesses run the risk of huge financial loss if they are threatened from the inside. Employees are trusted, understand their domain, and have access to a privileged amount of sensitive information.

Therefore, they are able to leak, manipulate or destroy sensitive data far more easily than an external entity.

What's more, companies can face significant reputation damage. Data exploitation puts doubts in the minds of consumers about the ability of a business to keep vital information safe.

Consequently, data management needs to be as comprehensive as possible in a company to avoid the potential risk of the insider threat.

Information is critical to the successful running of most businesses. When it comes to the secure deletion of end-of-life data, Kroll Ontrack has CESG accredited software and hardware you can rely on.

Posted by Lucy Hill