Insider threats—i.e., security risks originating from within an organization—have been on the rise. The average cost of an insider attack has grown by 31% to $11.45 million per incident in the last two years alone. And the current pandemic—and resulting transition to long-term remote work arrangements—has significantly enhanced these already-sizable risks in several ways.

Increased Threats Posed by COVID-19 and Remote Working

Remote working increases the risk of insider threats arising from employee negligence. Given the state of the world, employees may be prone to distraction and mixing personal online endeavors with their work-related activities. This, in turn, raises the likelihood cyber criminals’ targeted phishing campaigns and other attacks will prove successful. Employees may often fail to utilize safe computing practices while working outside the office, leaving remote devices susceptible to cyber attacks. Working from home also brings significant technical vulnerabilities—like insecure network connections—further increasing opportunities for cyber criminals to carry out attacks.