Whether deliberate or accidental, insider incidents can result in financial loss, operational disruption, reputational damage and risks to employee safety. By combining security expertise with risk intelligence, organisations can better understand emerging threats and take proactive steps to reduce their exposure.
Michael Evans, Director of the Securitas Risk Intelligence, shares his insights on the role of intelligence-led security in helping organisations identify, assess and mitigate insider threats.
Insider threats and why they matter
An insider threat involves any individual or group who, whether intentionally or unintentionally, misuses their access or knowledge in a way that causes harm to an organisation. This can include employees, contractors, suppliers or visitors, and may involve fraud, theft of assets or information, sabotage or workplace violence.
Understanding the distinction between a threat and a risk is an important part of effective security management. A threat is the potential event or occurrence that could cause harm, while risk refers to the business impact that could result if that threat materialises.
For example, an employee with access to sensitive information may pose a threat if information is mishandled, whether intentionally or accidentally. The associated risk could include data loss, financial impact, reputational damage or regulatory consequences. Effective security strategies address both the threat itself and the vulnerabilities that may allow it to develop into a significant business risk.
The challenge of detecting insider threats
Managing insider threats presents unique challenges because the individuals involved are already operating within the organisation. Unlike external threat actors, insiders often have legitimate access to facilities, systems, processes and information.
This access can make suspicious activity more difficult to identify. Individuals may initially present little cause for concern but later develop motivations to misuse their access due to personal circumstances, financial pressures, external influences or ideological motivations.
As a result, organisations should not view insider threat management as a one-time exercise. Ongoing monitoring, risk assessment and intelligence gathering can help identify changes in circumstances before they lead to security incidents.
The role of risk intelligence
Risk intelligence plays an important role in helping organisations better understand the risks that may affect their people, operations and assets.
Organisations can only respond effectively to threats they are aware of. Risk intelligence provides insight into external developments and emerging trends that may influence organisational risk, from geopolitical tensions and workforce concerns to industry-specific threats.
In the context of insider threats, risk intelligence can help organisations identify vulnerabilities, recognise early warning signs and make informed decisions about appropriate mitigation measures. This proactive approach supports stronger security outcomes and enables organisations to respond to potential issues before they escalate.
A tailored approach to insider threat management
At Securitas, our approach to insider threat management is built on intelligence, expertise and an understanding that every organisation faces unique challenges.
We supports organisations by providing intelligence-led insight relevant to their specific operating environment. This includes monitoring factors that could affect people, operations, facilities, supply chains and critical assets, helping organisations better understand the risks they may face.
Through a combination of open-source intelligence, analyst expertise and a global security network, Securitas helps organisations gain greater visibility of emerging risks and potential insider threats.
While technology plays an important role in collecting and processing information, human expertise remains essential. Experienced analysts help provide context, assess relevance and turn intelligence into actionable insights that support informed security decision-making.
As Michael Evans explains:
“While there is a boom in AI right now, and we do use technology and digital platforms to give us the speed, scale, and scope to deliver on our customer requirements 24/7, 365... we also leverage heavily on the human analyst... everything we produce comes through a human and it's the humans in the team, both from their professional and personal backgrounds, that provide us with the highest quality of finished intelligence,”
Turning intelligence into action
Insider threats continue to evolve alongside changing working environments, emerging technologies and broader societal developments.
For organisations, the challenge is not simply identifying potential threats, but understanding their impact and taking appropriate action. An intelligence-led approach can help organisations strengthen resilience, improve decision-making and better protect their people, assets and operations.
By combining security expertise with risk intelligence, organisations can move from reacting to incidents to proactively identifying and managing risk before it affects their business.