What's a common indicator of a potential insider threat?

Unauthorized access to sensitive files is a common indicator of a potential insider threat because it often indicates that an employee or someone with legitimate access is misusing their credentials for malicious purposes, such as data theft or leakage. Insiders may have the ability to access sensitive information legitimately but may choose to exploit that access for personal gain, to harm the organization, or to facilitate data breaches. This behavior can be particularly insidious, as it can occur without triggering the same alarms that would accompany external attacks.

In contrast, while exploiting external network vulnerabilities focuses on threats from outside the organization, increased network traffic from unknown sources may point more toward external intrusions. Frequent system downtime is often associated with technical issues or operational inefficiencies rather than deliberate malicious intent. Therefore, unauthorized access to sensitive files stands out as a clear warning sign of potential insider misconduct.