What does the term "insider threat" mean?

The term "insider threat" refers to a security risk that arises from individuals within the organization, such as employees, contractors, or business partners, who have legitimate access to the organization's resources and data. These individuals may intentionally or unintentionally cause harm to the organization's information systems or data. This could involve actions such as theft of sensitive information, sabotage, or the introduction of vulnerabilities through negligent behavior.

Understanding insider threats is critical for organizations because the individuals posing these threats often have familiarity with the organization's operations, which can make it easier for them to exploit vulnerabilities. Unlike external threats, which originate from outside the organization, insider threats can be particularly challenging to detect and mitigate, as they involve trusted personnel who can bypass security measures that typically focus on preventing external access.

In contrast, the other choices focus on risks that do not fit the definition of an insider threat. For instance, security risks from external hackers represent external threats, while risks associated solely with outdated technology or public systems do not inherently involve individuals within the organization and thus do not align with the insider threat concept.