Insider threat is a recognized vulnerability that can negatively impact an organization’s people, physical assets, computer systems and proprietary information, thus threatening economic security, according to PriceWaterhouse Coopers’ Economic Crime Survey and Trends in Proprietary Information Loss. Insiders include anyone with legitimate access to physical or computer facilities, such as current and former employees, on-site contractors, vendors and temporary employees.
The threat of terrorism is usually perceived as a homeland security issue, although it also can affect a company’s economic security. “Ensuring security while protecting applicants’ and employees’ Constitutional rights constitutes a paradox for both human resources (HR) and security staff,” according to James Outtz, president of Outtz and Associates, a Washington, DC-based selection consulting firm.