Insider Risk is the amount of damage any event can cause due to an insider threat activity. According to a study by The Ponemon Institute, the average cost of an insider threat to an organization increases by 76%.
Data is today’s most valuable asset, and insider risks are a significant concern. A quarter of security incidents occur due to a known or unknown insider threat. Thus, protecting an organization against these kinds of threats requires the proper process, technology, and people.
What Is Insider Risk Management?
Insider risk is when a member of an organization, whether aware or unaware, jeopardizes the well-being of network security or breaches data.
Insider risk management represents software or services that help identify potential malicious or accidental insider risks, such as IP theft, data leakage, and security violations.
According to Microsoft, 93% of organizations are concerned about insider risks. Insider threats cause 25% of data loss. Insider risk management comprises various monitoring tools and ML algorithms to find anomalies in user activity.
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What Is Insider Risk Management Software?
Insider risk management software, also called Insider Threat Detection and Prevention software, is a set of cybersecurity tools and solutions that help businesses identify and reduce risks from employees, contractors, and others accessing the business’s systems and data.
These insiders could hurt the company’s security, image, or operations accidentally or intentionally.
Features Insider Risk Management Software
Insider risk management software serves many organizational functions, including faster action-taking against insider threats, centralized control, built-in privacy, etc.
With the help of IRM software, you first choose the set of policies you want to implement in your organization. Some insider risk management solutions work on ML algorithms, which are continuously trained, making them more and more efficient.
Regular alerts are also a great feature, enabling you to monitor any anomaly quickly. Reports are also generated for suspected users, which can be reviewed for further investigation.
The most helpful feature is that IRM software automates the workflow, making it easier for security personnel to record anomalies. Built-in extra privacy is also a deeming feature of Insider Risk Management Software.
Best Practices Of Insider Risk Management
Best practices include various vital points, the first of which is considering any required geographical or regional compliance.
The next step is to set up governance in your organization, establish what and how applications should be used, and respond to any outside threats, such as links, emails, PDFs, pen drives, etc.
Training is also essential for employees to be educated enough not to become unknown insider threats. After training is done, it is time to analyze threats and risks. And the most prominent sectors, which are more susceptible to insider threats, should be monitored closely.
How Does Insider Risk Management Software Work?
Insider risk management software differs from software to software, depending on its approach, whether benchmark-based, ML algorithms or rule-based. The most fundamental work of an insider risk management solution is analyzing user behaviors in an organization.
The twist is that the software marks some behavior as a threat. Vendors can use regular rule-based approaches, such as if a low-privilege user is accessing something abnormal. Others use ML algorithms and trained data sets to decide whether or not the user’s action is abnormal to report.
IAM, SIEM, Privileged Access Management, Data Loss Prevention, User and Entity Behavior Analytics, and other analytical tools are integrated to help Insider Risk Management Software analyze more profound user behavior.
The Insider Risk Management solution also manages the client’s ticketing system using the purpose-based access principle.
Here Are Our Picks For The 10 Best Insider Risk Management Platforms And Their Feature
DoControl: Automates detection and management of insider threats with real-time data access monitoring.
ActivTrak: Provides visibility into employee activity and behavior to identify and manage insider risks.
Elevate Platform: Offers advanced analytics and risk assessments to effectively manage and mitigate insider threats.
Splunk: Analyzes security data to detect and respond to insider threats through real-time monitoring and alerts.
Varonis: Monitors and analyzes user behavior and data access patterns to identify potential insider threats.
Forcepoint: Utilizes behavioral analytics to detect and prevent insider threats based on user activity and data access.
Securonix: Delivers advanced threat detection with behavioral analytics and machine learning for insider risk management.
Proofpoint: Provides comprehensive protection by analyzing user behavior and communication to detect and mitigate insider threats.
Exabeam: Uses behavioral analytics and automation to identify and respond to insider threats in real-time.
LogRhythm: Combines security analytics and machine learning to detect, investigate, and respond to insider threats.
Best Insider Risk Management Platforms Features
Best Insider Risk Management Platforms FeaturesStand Alone FeaturePricingFree Trial / Demo1. DoControl AI-Powered Threat Detection
Automated Security Workflows
End-User Engagement
SaaS Data Loss Prevention
Security Posture DashboardAutomated access control and risk management.Custom pricingYes2. ActivTrakKeeping track of what employees do
Tracking How an Application Is Used
Keep an eye on your website and URL
Alerts You Can Change
Analysis of ProductivityEmployee monitoring and productivity insights.Starts at $9/user/monthYes3. Elevate PlatformData Integration
Behavioral Analytics
Alerts and Notifications
Case Management
User Education and DeterrenceAdvanced threat detection and response.Custom pricingYes4. SplunkIncident Response and Case Management
Customizable Risk Scoring
Compliance and Reporting
Dashboards that can be changed
AI and machine learning work togetherData analysis for security insights.Custom pricingYes5. varonisGovernance of Data Access
Detection of Insider Threats
Help with compliance
Data transport engine
data privilegeData security and insider threat detection.Custom pricingYes6. ForcepointControls and permissions for access.
Virus defense.
Watching what people do.
Management of compliance.
Making a dashboard.Behavior analytics and threat protection.Custom pricingYes7. SecuronixEntity Behavior Analytics
Cloud Security Monitoring
Scalability and Integration
Proactive Threat Hunting
Automated Incident ResponseSecurity analytics and user behavior monitoring.Custom pricingYes8. ProofpointRecording sound.
Transcription by machine
Management of the call center.
Listening to calls.
Profiling of Users and EntitiesComprehensive email and data protection.Custom pricingYes9. ExabeamSecurity log handling on a large scale
Strong analysis of behavior.
Experience with automated investigations…
The Security Operations Platform from Exabeam
Options for deployment in the cloud or on-premisesSecurity information and event management.Custom pricingYes10. LogRhythmKeeping track of logs and events
Taking care of assets
Taking care of networks
Identifying threats and analyzing them.
Response to an incident and case management.
Unified security intelligence and threat detection.Custom pricingYes
1. DoControl
DoControl
Location and year: New York, New York, United States, 2020
DoControl insider risk management solution that uses unified, automated AI to detect and prevent insider threats for SaaS applications without affecting the uptime of the infrastructure
It ingests information from Human Resource Information System (HRIS) applications and monitors user and admin activity for detection based on anomaly signals, risky behavioral patterns, and trigger workflows.
This SaaS security platform uses CASB to enforce granular data access control policies; Cloud-Native DLP ensures Next-generation data loss prevention; and SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) streamlines admin audit logs to detect and respond to configuration drifts
Features
Business-critical SaaS apps can be connected with DoControl with a few clicks.
DoControl lists OAuth-authorized and unauthorized SaaS apps, users, collaborators, assets, and third-party websites.
DoControl continuously monitors SaaS applications and data access to detect data breaches in real-time.
Conditional security workflows can be created with a no-code policy enforcement tool.
This extends Zero Trust beyond identity, device, and network.
What is Good?What Could Be Better?Automated data access controlsEnhanced user interface customization options.Real-time risk monitoring alertsMore integrations with third-party tools.User-friendly interface designImproved scalability for larger organizations.Seamless integration with platformsBetter real-time alerting and response.
2. ActivTrak
ActivTrak
Location and year: Austin, Texas, 2009.
ActivTrak protects privacy and prevents critical data misalignment across the enterprise without compromising productivity. This solution tracks remote and in-office productivity and process and technology engagement without compromising employee privacy and building trust.
It identifies inactive accounts, unallocated or unused licenses, applications with overlapping functionality, posing malware risk, or failing to meet the privacy and security requirements of the organization and automatically blocks them.
When new applications are introduced into the environment, ActivTrak sets custom limits. Alarms are triggered for activities such as USB device use, unauthorized file sharing, access to blocked domains, user deletion from computers, and Slack or MS Teams notifications. Based on user risk scores and risky activities, automated actions are configured.
Features
At regular intervals, ActivTrak can capture an employee’s computer screen to reveal their activity.
ActivTrak tracks employee web activity by URL and website.
ActivTrak comes with reports and dashboards to analyze staff activity.
The secrecy mode in most ActivTrak devices prevents tracking when the user is away.
The software’s built-in integrations with other programs and platforms simplify workflows.
What is Good?What Could Be Better?Keeping an eye on how well employees workWorries about privacyUse StatisticsTrust in employeesCompliance with SecurityAlerts You Can Change
3. Elevate Platform
Elevate Platform
Location and year: Denver, Colorado, United States, 2020.
Elevate Identity authenticates or denies system access based on user risk intelligence in IAM and IGA systems. User risk determines conditional access policies and governance assessments, accelerating anomaly incident triage and automating controls.
This insider risk management software consists of three products: Elevate Engage, Elevate Control, and Elevate Identity. It follows the principle of finding which is most’ at-risk.’
Elevate Engage tracks computing habits and security concerns and provides individualized feedback, scorecards, and training. It decreases SOC operating burdens from high-risk user-generated incidents and adds individual risk data to SecOps policies, tooling, and control automation to free up resources for real threats.
Features
Clients pay the lowest stock rate for which they are eligible.
Elevate’s straightforward billing tiers cut rates when clients spend more.
Elevate provides essential tax wrappers and investment solutions for diverse client financial planning needs.
Our straightforward pricing offers excellent value to clients.
What is Good?What Could Be Better?Advanced risk detection capabilitiesUser Interface Enhancements NeededComprehensive insider threat analyticsExpand Integration CapabilitiesCustomizable policy enforcementImprove Real-Time Alerting PrecisionSeamless integration with existing systemsIncrease Reporting Customization Options
4. Splunk
Splunk
Location and year: San Francisco, California, U.S., 2003.
Spunk AI uses APIs to detect, investigate, and respond to threats: Analytics power SIEM, AI models, and visualizations. Splunk SOAR supports the SOC by orchestrating security procedures and automating actions in seconds.
This comprehensive security and observability data platform provides extensive data access, advanced analytics, and automation to strengthen companies. Manage, search, federate, and automate events, logs, and metrics data from bespoke and third-party tools, public and private clouds, on-premise data centers, and devices.
Allowing security analysts to focus on mission-critical objectives by automating security tasks and workflows across all security tools. It establishes repeatable procedures, addresses every alert, and lowers MTTR.
As a part of recovery, Splunk absorbs shocks and restores critical services faster to minimize the impact of outages and breaches.
Features
Splunk can import data from logs, files, databases, APIs, and streaming data.
Users can query data in real-time or retroactively using Splunk’s search language.
Charts, graphs, and dashboards enable Splunk users to create meaningful reports and get data insights.
Alerts can be set up for important events or anomalies based on established or custom criteria.
Splunk automates data parsing and structuring, making it easier to analyze and visualize.
What is Good?What Could Be Better?Strong Analysis of DataPricey LicensesWatching in real timeCurve of LearningStrong eco-systemDashboards that can be changed
5. Varonis
varonis
Location and year: Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America, 2005.
Varonis prioritizes insider risk management by providing deep data visibility, classification, and automated data access remediation. It employs least privilege automation to lower blast radius without human intervention or business impact.
It logs all files, folders, and email actions for cloud and on-prem auditing. A thorough forensic investigation involves searching and filtering by user, file server, and event type. It provides data security transparency through continuous risk assessment, file sensitivity, access, and activity.
It determines effective, shared link permissions to nested permission groups and prioritizes remediation by risk. User Entity and Behavioral Analytics (UEBA) warnings stop threats and malicious actors in real-time with automatic countermeasures.
Features
Only authorized users can access data after analyzing access rights, entitlements, and classification.
Data breaches and security incidents can be monitored and investigated using audits and reporting.
It can detect unusual access patterns, privilege requests, and data theft.
It shows user and group activity across data sources.
The platform warns users of security incidents and provides tools to investigate and stop threats.
What is Good?What Could Be Better?Governance of Data AccessSetup is hardDetection of Insider ThreatsHigh cost at firstHelp with complianceAbility to grow
6. Forcepoint
Forcepoint
Location and year: Austin, Texas, United States, 1994.
Forcepoint reduces insider risks and cuts costs with Data-First Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), which uses Generative AI and Zero Trust. Integrating this tool can achieve networking and security from a single SD-WAN and SSE and perform automated data classification, continuous monitoring, and visibility.
Cloud-Native Hyperscaler uses a single console for over 6,000 websites, standardized data security policies, and no third-party agents to simplify everyday operations. It also uses AWS and OCI for continuous availability.
Forcepoint provides a security policy to all channels for DLP across the cloud, network, and endpoints, boosting cloud app performance and security. AI/ML analyzes user and device activity and remediates with automated context-based security.
Features
Cloud security solutions from Forcepoint can protect AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud users.
It helps companies enforce web usage policies and secure employee web access.
Content inspection, policy enforcement, and incident response are included.
Email content filtering, encryption, and enhanced threat protection are included.
It enforces cloud application and data security.
What is Good?What Could Be Better?Securing the cloudSome cases of poor performanceTrying not to lose dataRelatively heavy on resources.Analytics of User and Entity Behavior
7. Securonix
Securonix
Location and year: United States of America, 2007.
Securonix provides advanced insider risk management by leveraging machine learning and analytics to detect and respond to suspicious activities within an organization. It aims to protect sensitive data from intentional and unintentional threats from insiders.
The platform offers real-time threat detection and automated response capabilities, enabling security teams to identify potential risks before they escalate. Its intuitive interface helps streamline investigations and enforce security policies effectively.
Securonix integrates with existing security infrastructure to enhance visibility and control over insider threats. Its scalable solutions are designed to adapt to various organizational sizes and complexities, ensuring comprehensive protection across diverse environments.
Features
Securonix monitors and detects real-time threats using logs, network traffic, and endpoint data.
Machine learning and behavior analytics help Securonix identify abnormal users and entities.
This may indicate insider or sophisticated, persistent threats.
Logs and data come from apps, PCs, firewalls, and cloud services.
Securonix uses advanced algorithms to detect security risks and anomalies.
It alerts and tips when suspicious.
What is Good?What Could Be Better?Analysis of how people actCurve of LearningIdentifying a threatProblems with Integration
8. Proofpoint
Proofpoint
Location and year: San Francisco Bay Area, Silicon Valley, West Coast, 2017.
Proofpoint’s Insider Risk Management solution leverages advanced machine learning to detect and analyze potential insider threats by monitoring user behavior and data access patterns. It provides real-time alerts to mitigate risks and protect sensitive information.
The platform integrates seamlessly with existing security infrastructure, offering comprehensive visibility into internal activities while reducing false positives. It supports customizable risk thresholds to adapt to your organization’s specific needs and policies.
Proofpoint emphasizes user privacy and compliance by ensuring its monitoring practices align with regulatory requirements and organizational policies, allowing for effective risk management without compromising employee trust or legal standards.
Features
In addition to keystrokes, Proofpoint tracks application activity, file access, and network behavior.
The software detects insider risks in user behavior using behavioral analytics.
Proofpoint alerts you to suspicious or unusual activities in real-time so you can act fast.
It stores user sessions like terminal and remote desktop sessions for subsequent review.
Proofpoint monitors and stops data theft through DLP systems.
What is Good?What Could Be Better?Keeping track of logs and eventsUses a lot of resourcesResponse to an incident and case managementProblems with Integration
9. Exabeam
Exabeam
Location and year: Foster City, California, United States, 2013.
Exabeam offers advanced insider risk management through its behavioral analytics platform. This platform identifies unusual patterns and potential threats by analyzing user behavior and system interactions, providing actionable insights to mitigate insider risks effectively.
By leveraging machine learning and automated response capabilities, Exabeam helps organizations detect and respond to insider threats in real time, reducing the time it takes to identify suspicious activities and minimizing the impact of potential security breaches.
Exabeam’s solution integrates seamlessly with existing security infrastructure, offering scalable and customizable risk management tools that enhance visibility across the network and streamline incident investigation processes, ensuring comprehensive protection against insider threats.
Features
Exabeam gathers and standardizes data from several sources, providing a comprehensive perspective.
The platform uses machine learning and behavior analytics to discover user and entity behavior outliers.
Exabeam assesses users’ and organizations’ behavior risk.
This prioritizes notifications and investigations.
Real-time warnings and notifications are sent for suspicious behavior or security issues.
Exabeam timelines and forensics help security teams investigate and respond to occurrences.
What is Good?What Could Be Better?Keeping track of what users doComplexity of IntegrationNotifications and AlertsProblems with ScalabilityTrying not to lose data
10. LogRhythm
LogRhythm
Location and year: Boulder, Colorado; Maidenhead, England; and Singapore, 2003
LogRhythm’s Insider Risk Management Solution offers advanced threat detection and analytics, leveraging machine learning and behavioral analysis to identify and mitigate insider threats before they impact organizational security.
It provides comprehensive visibility into user activities across your network, enabling real-time monitoring and alerting on suspicious behaviors that may indicate potential insider risks or data breaches.
The solution integrates seamlessly with existing security infrastructure, ensuring a streamlined approach to insider threat management while enhancing overall security posture and compliance with industry regulations.
Features
LogRhythm normalizes log and event data from network devices, servers, apps, and endpoints.
The platform offers real-time alerts and messages if it detects anything unusual in incoming data.
LogRhythm uses advanced analytics, machine learning, and threat intelligence to detect internal and external threats.
It employs UEBA to identify unusual user and entity behavior that may indicate security vulnerabilities.
LogRhythm offers case management, investigation, and repair procedures for easier security incident management.
What is Good?What Could Be Better?Keeping track of logs and eventsIt uses a lot of resourcesResponse to an incident and case managementProblems with Integration
