Contents
🛡️ Building a Cyber Defence Insider Risk Program
Insider threats — whether from negligence or malicious intent — represent a serious challenge for any cyber defence team. Establishing a robust Insider Risk Program (IRP) is critical to identifying, mitigating, and responding to these threats before they lead to significant damage.
🔧 What is an Insider Risk Program?
An Insider Risk Program (IRP) is a structured approach that combines policies, technologies, and teams to detect and mitigate risks from internal actors. This includes:
- Malicious insiders (disgruntled employees, contractors, etc.)
- Negligent insiders (human error, policy violations)
- Compromised insiders (accounts hijacked by external attackers)
🧱 Step-by-Step: How to Build an Insider Risk Program
1. 🧭 Define Objectives & Scope
Start by clearly identifying what your insider risk program is meant to protect:
- What are your crown jewels? (e.g. source code, customer data, intellectual property)
- Who has access to them?
- What insider scenarios pose the biggest threat?
Deliverables: Scope statement, executive charter, risk tolerance matrix.
2. 🧑💼 Appoint a Cross-Functional Team
Bring together stakeholders from:
- Cybersecurity
- HR & Legal
- IT Operations
- Compliance
- Physical Security
Create a governance model with defined ownership and escalation paths.
3. 🔍 Implement Insider Threat Detection
Leverage tools that support:
- UEBA (User & Entity Behavior Analytics)
- DLP (Data Loss Prevention)
- SIEM correlation (Splunk, Sentinel, etc.)
- Endpoint Detection & Response (e.g. CrowdStrike, Microsoft Defender)
- Insider threat modules (like Splunk UBA or DTEX)
Set up baselines of normal behaviour and flag deviations.
4. 📝 Establish Policies and Controls
Key policies should include:
- Acceptable Use Policies
- Access Control & Least Privilege
- Privileged User Monitoring
- Data Handling & Exfiltration Rules
Bonus: Integrate with onboarding and offboarding procedures to address account and access risks throughout employment lifecycle.
5. 🚨 Create a Response Playbook
Prepare standardised response plans, such as:
- Non-malicious incident resolution
- Suspicion of espionage or data theft
- Legal & HR engagement workflows
- Forensic evidence collection & preservation
Use NIST 800-61 or MITRE Shield as guidance frameworks.
6. 🧪 Train, Test, and Improve
- Run insider threat tabletop exercises
- Test detection logic and playbooks regularly
- Provide awareness training for managers and staff
- Refine controls based on lessons learned
🧰 Tools & Tech Stack Suggestions
| Category | Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| SIEM | Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel | Centralised log correlation |
| UEBA | Exabeam, Securonix | Behaviour baselining |
| EDR | CrowdStrike, Microsoft Defender | Endpoint monitoring |
| DLP | Microsoft Purview, Forcepoint | Data movement detection |
| IAM | Okta, Azure AD, CyberArk | Identity lifecycle control |
📋 Insider Risk Program Checklist
✅ Define scope and sensitive asset map
✅ Form a cross-functional response team
✅ Implement technical controls (UEBA, DLP, SIEM)
✅ Create insider threat detection rules
✅ Build response and escalation playbooks
✅ Run regular simulations and train staff
✅ Align with HR, Legal, and Compliance policies