Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Subscribe
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Subscribe
    Home Latest News
    • Small Business

    Businesses Lack Investment to Prevent Insider Threats

    Written by

    Nathan Eddy
    Published April 9, 2015
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      Most organizations have gaping security holes when it comes to protecting themselves against insider threats, according to a SpectorSoft survey of 772 IT security professionals.

      Nearly a third (32 percent) of respondents said they have no ability to prevent an insider attack, while 52 percent of respondents cannot size the potential damage, and 44 percent do not know what they are spending to address the threat.

      Although almost three-fourths of respondents (74 percent) are concerned primarily with employees, whether malicious or merely negligent, 44 percent of respondents said they don’t know how much they currently spend on solutions that mitigate insider threats. Similarly, 45 percent don’t know how much they plan to spend on insider threat technology in the next 12 months.

      “I think the key first step businesses with smaller IT budgets can take to improve their insider defenses is to not use limited resources as an excuse. There are no-cost and low-cost, both in terms of dollars and effort, steps that all businesses can take,” Mike Tierney, chief operating officer of SpectorSoft, told eWEEK. “Improved internal communication between HR and IT costs nothing, but goes a long ways toward making sure that IT is able to react to elevated insider risk stemming from circumstances that only HR is aware of – like financial hardships, performance plans, and other personnel issues that can lead to disgruntlement.”

      Tierney said having access controls in place to limit employee access to critical data is essential. Native tools can help accomplish the task without significant investments, he noted.

      As awareness of data loss increases, more organizations are starting to understand the importance of incident response plans, with 69 percent of respondents indicating that they currently have one in place.

      However, of those companies, more than half said their plan doesn’t incorporate special provisions for insider threats. That means 66 percent of respondents either do not have an insider response plan or have no incident response plan at all.

      Causes behind these security gaps are numerous, with respondents citing lack of training, lack of budget and lack of internal staff as the three most significant reasons for lack of insider threat defenses.

      In addition to budget and staffing woes, 28 percent of all respondents claim that insider threat detection and prevention is not even a priority in their organizations.

      “I believe insider threats will continue to increase until investment in the solutions, processes, and people needed to combat them catches up with the growing awareness of the problem,” Tierney said. “Insider threats are typically more damaging than external, because the insider has been given access and knows exactly what they are looking for. They are typically harder to detect, for the same reasons. I believe increased investment is critical, but should not be done at the expense of perimeter defense. Robbing Peter to pay Paul won’t work here.”

      Nathan Eddy
      Nathan Eddy
      A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan was perviously the editor of gaming industry newsletter FierceGameBiz and has written for various consumer and tech publications including Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, CRN, and The Times of London. Currently based in Berlin, he released his first documentary film, The Absent Column, in 2013.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.