Introduction
You might have heard of the book, “Eat that Frog”.
The phrase “Eat that Frog” means something that is difficult to face, but one must do it anyway. Experts suggest that we must start with the most difficult task.
So, before we dive in, I have a few challenging questions for you.
Has your organization ever encountered issues with certain employees? Or, to put it another way, do you suspect any employee might be harboring grudges against the organization?
If your answer is yes, then what did you do to clear the air?
If there are disputes in the past that were not handled efficiently, then your organization’s sensitive data might be at a huge risk of insider threat.
On the other hand, if your answer is no, your organization may still face insider risks despite having a strong workplace culture. Data leaks or breaches can occur due to rookie mistakes or accidents.
Insider Threat Risk and Data Exfiltration Landscape
Insider threats and data exfiltration can arise from various factors, including financial gain, revenge, or ideological beliefs. They can also be unintentional, such as when an employee accidentally exposes sensitive data or breaches a security policy.
Crowd Research Partners reports that 90% of organizations feel vulnerable to insider attacks due to factors like excessive access privileges, an increased number of devices accessing sensitive data, and the growing complexity of IT systems. Additionally, 53% of organizations have confirmed insider attacks within the past year.
According to the Ponemon Institute’s 2022 Cost of Insider Threats: Global Report, the average cost of an insider incident is $11.4 million, and the average time to contain such an incident is 77 days (about 2 and a half months).
These statistics underscore the importance of Insider Risk Management (IRM). Implementing effective IRM practices can provide organizations with significant advantages.
- Reduced risk of data breaches and other security incidents
- Improved data protection and privacy
- Lower costs associated with insider incidents
- Enhanced employee awareness and accountability
It all boils down to organizations struggling with a fragmented solutions landscape. 80% of decision makers purchased multiple products to meet compliance and data protection needs.
Microsoft Purview is a cloud-based solution that can help organizations effectively manage insider risk. Purview offers comprehensive tools for detecting, investigating, and responding to insider threats. It also aids in preventing these threats by providing visibility into user activity and enforcing security policies.
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This eBook provides authoritative guidance on identifying potential insider threats, investigating insider incidents, remediating their impact, and preventing future occurrences.
Get the eBookHow Microsoft Purview can help you identify and mitigate insider threat risks
1. Identifying potential insider threats
Purview utilizes various signals to identify potential insider threats, including:
- User activity: Purview monitors user activity across various sources, including Microsoft 365, Azure Active Directory, and endpoints.
- Data access: Purview tracks user access to sensitive data.
- Risk indicators: Purview uses various factors to identify the risk indicators such as changes in user behavior or access to unauthorized data.
2. How do you respond to an insider threat?
When a potential insider threat is detected, Purview equips investigators with a comprehensive set of tools to thoroughly investigate the incident.
- Activity Logs: Purview offers detailed logs that enable the reconstruction of user activity.
- User Profiles: Purview offers user profiles that include details on employment history, access permissions, and risk scores.
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Alerts: Purview generates alerts when sensitive data is accessed or exfiltrated.
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In this eBook, you’ll learn about the regulatory landscape and the importance of compliance, common compliance challenges, and how to understand, implement, and use Microsoft Purview for compliance effectively.
Get the eBook3. How to solve an insider threat?
Once an insider incident has been investigated, Purview offers tools to remediate it.
- Remediation Tools: Purview equips security teams with the necessary tools to address insider incidents, enabling them to investigate, gather evidence, and take appropriate action.
- Continuous Monitoring: Purview consistently tracks user activity and data access to promptly detect and address insider incidents. This proactive approach aids in preventing insider threats from causing harm initially.
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4. How are insider threats prevented?
Purview additionally aids organizations in preventing insider incidents by offering insight into user activity and enforcing security policies.
- Raise awareness among employees regarding insider threats.
- Establish a robust identity and access management (IAM) program.
- Monitor user activity rigorously and enforce security policies effectively.
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Conclusion
To sum it up, Microsoft Purview Insider Risk Management is an all-in-one solution designed to aid organizations in identifying, assessing, and mitigating insider threats. Leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence, the platform can detect various risky behaviors, such as data exfiltration, intellectual property theft, and account compromise. Additionally, it offers a suite of tools to facilitate the investigation and response to insider incidents.
If this is enough to pique your interest, don’t forget to share your thoughts with us. We will be happy to clarify any of your doubts around Microsoft Purview insider threat management.
