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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/secplus-insider-threat

Which threat actor already has authorized access to an organization's systems?

Insider threat, someone inside the security domain with legitimate access.

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  1. A nation-state outsider
  2. An insider threat ✔
  3. An unskilled external attacker

Why: Insiders can harm systems on purpose or by accident because they already hold valid accounts. That makes access limits and monitoring just as important as the perimeter.

Huh, didn't know that: NIST SP 800-53 suggests dual authorization, also called two-person control, to reduce risk from insider threats.

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What do you get when you cross people who break into computers with a caramel-coated popcorn snack? Hacker Jacks.
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References

Answer: An insider threat. Insiders can harm systems on purpose or by accident because they already hold valid accounts. That makes access limits and monitoring just as important as the perimeter.

  1. NIST CSRC Glossary: insider threat csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/insider_threat
    The threat that an insider will use her/his authorized access, wittingly or unwittingly, to do harm
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  2. NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5, Security and Privacy Controls nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.800-53r5.pdf
    Dual authorization, also known as two-person control, reduces risk related to insider threats.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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