Final answer:
In responding to Stan's late-night access, the Insider Threat Program should assess if there was a legitimate reason, what he accessed, and if it's a repeated behavior. It's crucial to determine if his access represents a security breach, aligns with insider threat indicators, and adjust protocols accordingly.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering the user activity of Stan accessing the organization's information systems late at night, the Insider Threat Program should formulate a mitigation response by asking several key questions. First and foremost, it should determine whether there was any legitimate reason for the late-night access, such as a scheduled maintenance, deadline, or being in a different time zone. Context is essential here as it provides insight into the intent behind the access.
Further investigative actions would involve reviewing the specific data or systems Stan accessed. Did he have authorized access to this information, or was it beyond the scope of his normal job responsibilities? This could indicate whether his actions were appropriate or a potential security breach.
Additionally, the frequency and nature of the activity should be evaluated. Is this a one-time occurrence or a pattern of behavior? The Insider Threat Program should be wary of both continuous and sporadic late-night access, as regularity can suggest a routine exfiltration of data, whereas sporadic access might suggest opportunistic behavior.
Understanding the impact of human factors on security is crucial. Research indicates that increased cognitive effort among security operators can lead to a higher rate of false positives; however, this does not necessarily result in an increased rate of disregarding real threats. This was highlighted by the massive data breach at Target, where security signals were not interpreted correctly, resulting in extended unauthorized access.
When formulating a mitigation response, the program should consider the insider threat risks and whether Stan's activity aligns with common indicators of malicious intent. If suspicious, immediate action should be taken, such as changing access permissions, increasing monitoring, and conducting a thorough investigation. Regardless of Stan's intent, the analysis will inform the development of better protocols to identify and prevent potential insider threats.