By Ojo Emmanuel Ademola
Guest columnist
Introduction
The 2025 Insider Risk Investigations Report highlights the pressing necessity for organizations to evolve within a swiftly changing digital environment and escalating geopolitical tensions. Rather than depending on disconnected strategies, the report emphasizes the vital role of fostering a culture characterized by collaboration, transparency, and shared intelligence. Adopting this strategic mindset is essential for organizations looking to safeguard their operations and effectively reduce internal risks.
The insider threat: A growing global crisis
In 2025, organizations are facing a serious challenge with insider threats, which now account for 34% of all data breaches. This highlights the urgent need to reevaluate security strategies amidst ongoing digital transformation. Insider threats include malicious employees, careless insiders, compromised credentials, and risks from third-party vendors, all contributing to significant vulnerabilities.
The Idea that internal employees are inherently trustworthy poses a growing risk for organizations. Cybercriminals exploit this belief by manipulating staff and weak security protocols, making it essential for companies to implement robust insider risk management programs to mitigate these vulnerabilities.
Insider threats now cost an average of $15.2 million, a 25% increase in three years. Healthcare institutions are particularly vulnerable, facing damages over $11 million and significant regulatory fines for inadequate patient data protection.
The repercussions of these breaches extend beyond immediate financial losses to include reputational damage, legal issues, and operational disruptions. Organizations that neglect strong access controls, thorough employee vetting, and ongoing cybersecurity training may face significant financial consequences.
In today’s data-driven environment, organizations need a zero-trust approach and strict access governance to mitigate costs associated with insider threats. These threats can lead to financial losses and serious risks, with breaches taking an average of 85 days to detect and contain. During this time, sensitive information may be compromised, critical systems can be affected, and organizational reputations are at risk.
In today’s fast-changing cyber landscape, lengthy responses to security incidents are unacceptable. Organizations must adopt AI-driven security measures, engage in proactive threat hunting, and implement real-time anomaly detection to protect valuable data and customer trust. A shift from reactive to proactive, intelligence-led cybersecurity strategies is essential to combat insider threats and maintain organizational resilience. Immediate action is crucial.
AI: The new battleground
Artificial intelligence is transforming security by improving detection capabilities. AI-driven behavioral analytics allow organizations to pinpoint unusual user behavior with high accuracy. For instance, Random Forest algorithms have achieved 99.8% accuracy in identifying suspicious email activities.
Adversaries are using artificial intelligence for malicious purposes, including automating phishing attacks and creating deepfakes. A notable incident involved a multinational company tricked into losing millions due to a deepfake audio that impersonated a senior executive during a crucial wire transfer call.
The threat landscape has evolved into a hybrid environment where cyber, physical, and psychological threats overlap. This is often driven by foreign state actors who exploit vulnerabilities, leading individuals to unwittingly participate in harmful activities.
Real-world incidents: A wake-up call
Recent global events highlight the urgent need for improved security measures. In April 2025, a disgruntled employee at a European energy firm intentionally disabled safety protocols, causing a regional power grid shutdown. Investigations showed the employee was radicalized online and exploited weak access controls. This incident underscores the vulnerabilities within organizations and the crucial need for strong security protocols.
In March 2025, a U.S. defense subcontractor experienced a security breach when a contractor exfiltrated sensitive blueprints via encrypted messaging apps. The breach went unnoticed for weeks due to inadequate behavioral monitoring, exposing critical vulnerabilities and underscoring the need for stronger detection methods.
In January 2025, a healthcare provider in Asia suffered a security breach when a nurse clicked a phishing link, exposing sensitive patient records. This incident resulted in over $9 million in fines and remediation costs, emphasizing the need for robust security protocols and thorough employee training to mitigate risks in today’s digital landscape.
The case for collaboration
The Insider Risk Investigations Report emphasizes that no organization can fully protect itself from insider threats alone. These risks require a collective, intelligence-driven approach that involves collaboration, shared threat intelligence, and partnerships across sectors to enhance global security.
Insider threats are becoming more complex, including negligent employees who inadvertently reveal sensitive information and malicious actors who exploit privileged access for their gain. To effectively counter these evolving threats, organizations need to move away from isolated security frameworks and adopt a unified, proactive approach that promotes cross-industry information sharing and collaborative mitigation efforts.
This initiative focuses on enhancing collaboration across different sectors by fostering the continuous exchange of intelligence. The aim is to quickly identify and address emerging insider threat tactics. Participants engage in joint training programs and simulation exercises that provide them with practical experience in dealing with real-world insider threats. These activities help refine their skills in detecting warning signs and responding effectively to prevent breaches from escalating. The exercises emphasize building rapid-response capabilities that empower security teams to act decisively against complex insider attacks.
In addition, the initiative involves the careful development of standardized protocols to regulate secure data exchanges, ensuring that the sharing of sensitive information among stakeholders is both ethical and lawful. Such frameworks are essential for maintaining trust in inter-organizational partnerships and preventing vulnerabilities related to intelligence breakdowns and delayed responses.
To effectively address insider threats, organizations should foster a culture of vigilance and accountability, which is essential for enhancing security across various industries. Security vulnerabilities often arise when risks are not effectively communicated or when early warning signs are overlooked. By implementing transparent reporting systems and developing interoperable security frameworks, organizations can better identify and mitigate these blind spots, ultimately reducing the likelihood of insider breaches.
The transition from a reactive to a proactive approach In cybersecurity is crucial, highlighting the importance of knowledge-sharing as a key element of security strategy. Organizations that fail to embrace this collaborative mindset not only risk their own systems but also weaken the broader global security framework. To enhance defenses against insider threats, it is vital for institutions to collaborate, align their efforts, and prioritize building security through collective strength rather than depending solely on isolated initiatives.
Building a culture of resilience
Organizations are realizing that technology alone is insufficient for ensuring security; it is essential to cultivate a culture of security awareness and accountability. To address insider threats effectively, many organizations are now implementing regular training programs designed to help employees identify key warning signs of potential issues.
To foster a culture of open communication regarding potential issues, clear and anonymous reporting channels are being implemented. These channels will enable staff to express their concerns freely, without the fear of repercussions.
Focusing on employee well-being is crucial for minimizing stress-related errors at work. Around 81% of organizations plan to adopt Zero Trust Architecture by 2026, reflecting a commitment to improved security and a safer work environment.
Looking ahead
The 2025 Insider Risk Investigations Report highlights the increasing scale and sophistication of insider threats, presenting a comprehensive roadmap that goes beyond mere defense strategies. It urges organizations to reevaluate their concepts of trust, rethink their access management practices, and reconsider their responses to the human factors involved in cybersecurity. This shift is essential for effective transformation in safeguarding against insider risks.
Collaboration has become an essential component in our efforts to create a secure and resilient future. By dismantling silos, investing in AI-driven detection technologies, and empowering our teams, we can strengthen our approach to security and enhance overall resilience.