Cybersecurity In-Depth: Feature articles on security strategy, latest trends, and people to know.
Some security researchers have observed an uptick in insider-assisted ransomware attacks, but malicious insiders pose other threats that cost companies millions.
September 1, 2026
Not all breaches begin after threat actors exploit a zero-day vulnerability or launch an increasingly sophisticated phishing campaign. Some start with an employee who decides to help attackers walk right through the front door.
A rise in malicious insider threats reflects a good news, bad news situation: Organizations are bolstering their security protocols, but cybercriminals are exploiting the one thing that firewalls and VPNs can't defend against — people with legitimate access. Incidents stemming from insider threats can result in ransomware deployment, direct financial loss, compliance violations, and full data exfiltration, just to name a few damaging outcomes.
