What's Happening?
Insider data breaches have affected 61% of U.S. organizations over the past two years, with businesses experiencing an average of eight incidents leading to compromised confidential information. According to a Ponemon Institute report sponsored by OPSWAT, these breaches have resulted in reduced employee productivity, customer data loss, and lower workplace productivity, costing an average of $2.7 million. File storage systems, including on-prem and network-attached storage devices, are most susceptible to insider attacks, followed by web file uploads and downloads from software-as-a-service apps.
Why It's Important?
The rise in insider breaches highlights significant vulnerabilities in data security within U.S. firms. These breaches not only lead to financial losses but also damage customer trust and employee morale. As organizations increasingly rely on digital systems for operations, the need for robust security measures becomes paramount. The integration of AI within file security strategies is seen as a potential solution, with many organizations planning to incorporate AI tools to bolster security. However, the lack of formal policies around generative AI tools poses additional risks.
What's Next?
Organizations are likely to increase investments in security technologies and develop comprehensive policies to address insider threats. The focus will be on enhancing file security through AI integration and establishing formal guidelines for the use of generative AI tools. As insider breaches continue to escalate, companies may also seek to improve employee training and awareness programs to mitigate risks associated with internal threats.
