What is an insider threat?

An insider threat refers specifically to the risk represented by individuals within an organization, such as employees or contractors, who have legitimate access to sensitive information and may misuse that access intentionally or unintentionally. This can include a range of harmful activities, from stealing data, to leaking confidential information, to sabotaging systems. The nature of insider threats makes them particularly challenging to detect and mitigate because these individuals often have knowledge of the organization's security protocols and systems, allowing them to circumvent established security measures more easily than external perpetrators.

The other options describe types of risks that are important to security but do not accurately define insider threats. For instance, external hackers represent a different category of risk, focusing on those outside the organization seeking unauthorized access. The loss of physical assets pertains more to tangible items rather than information misuse, and software vulnerabilities highlight weaknesses in applications or systems rather than the actions of individuals within an organization. Understanding insider threats is essential for implementing effective security measures and training within organizations.