Research-Based Assessment Framework

Free Insider Risk Assessment for Organizations

Calculate your organization's insider threat vulnerability in 8 minutes. Based on $17.4M average annual costs (Ponemon 2025) and 48% increase in insider attacks (Gartner G00805757). Get your Insider Risk Index score with actionable recommendations from evidence-based threat intelligence.

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Security Framework

The 5 Pillars of Insider Risk

A comprehensive framework that evaluates your organization's defenses across the most critical attack vectors, weighted by real-world impact

25%

Visibility

Comprehensive monitoring and detection of insider activities across your organization. Gartner's 'Rule of Three' framework identifies visibility as the foundation for detecting the three threat types (careless users, malicious users, compromised credentials) through comprehensive monitoring capabilities. 85% of effective programs utilize User Behavior Analytics (UBA) for baseline establishment (Gartner G00805757, 2024).

Monitor user behavior patterns, data access logs, and system activities for unusual or suspicious actions

Critical Impact

25%

Prevention & Coaching

Proactive measures and training to prevent insider threats before they occur. Aligns with Gartner's 'Rule of Three' mitigation goal to 'Deter' threats by addressing the root causes. Since more than 50% of insider incidents lack malicious intent, prevention and coaching programs are essential. Organizations with comprehensive prevention programs reduce incident costs by 31% and experience 27% fewer insider threat events (Ponemon Institute, 2025; Gartner G00805757, 2024).

Implement comprehensive training programs and security awareness campaigns for all employees

Critical Impact

CORE PILLAR

20%

Investigation & Evidence

Robust capabilities for investigating incidents and preserving digital evidence. Supports Gartner's 'Rule of Three' mitigation goal to 'Disrupt' threats through rapid response and forensic analysis. Critical as Gartner notes that 70% of organizations face technical challenges in insider threat management. Organizations with mature investigation capabilities reduce average containment time from 81 days to 52 days, saving an average of $2.1M per incident (Ponemon Institute, 2025; Gartner G00805757, 2024).

Incident response procedures, forensic capabilities, and evidence preservation

Critical Impact

15%

Identity & SaaS/OAuth

Strong identity management and secure access controls for cloud applications. Gartner's 2024 research shows that 92% of insider incidents involve identity-related vulnerabilities, making robust IAM controls essential for risk reduction (Gartner G00805757, 2024).

Manage user access controls, SaaS application permissions, and identity governance systems

Critical Impact

15%

Phishing Resilience

Advanced protection against phishing attacks and social engineering. Verizon's 2024 DBIR identifies phishing as the enabler for 68% of breaches with human elements, making comprehensive phishing resilience critical for insider risk prevention (Verizon DBIR, 2024).

Build resilience against email phishing, social engineering, and deceptive attack vectors

Critical Impact

Comprehensive Risk Assessment

Each pillar is weighted based on real-world impact data from Ponemon Institute research. Together, they provide a complete picture of your organization's insider risk posture.

Detection & Monitoring

Prevention & Training

Response & Recovery

Access & Identity

Social Engineering

Latest Research

Evidence-Based Insider Risk Intelligence

Our comprehensive analysis of 1,400+ organizations reveals critical trends and actionable insights based on authoritative security research

🆕 Latest Research

14 min read

Being an Insider is Fucking Hard in 2025: Why Every Employee is Walking a Security Tightrope

The brutal truth about being an employee in 2025: unclear policies, AI compliance confusion, and accidentally becoming an insider threat. 74% of breaches involve human error, yet only 50% understand their company's AI policies.

74%

Breaches Include Human Error

57%

Use AI Violating Policies

50%

Make Mistakes When Rushed

68%

Error-Related Breaches

Employee-Focused Research Sources:

Resume Now 2025

HR Dive Research

McKinsey Workplace AI

Varonis Security Report

Mimecast Human Risk

Employee Reality:

Policy confusion crisis: 57% of employees admit to using AI in ways that may violate company policies

Training gap nightmare: 43% need more AI training, 47% feel underprepared for employer-provided tools

Honest mistakes punished: When something goes wrong, employees get blamed even when systems set them up to fail

Published January 20, 2025•Employee Experience Analysis

Read Employee Perspective

AI Threat Intelligence

18 min read

Shadow AI and the Evolution of Insider Threats: A Critical Intelligence Assessment

83% of organizations reported insider attacks in 2024 as AI amplifies threat capabilities. Analysis of recent incidents including Mercedes-Benz GitHub exposure and North Korean infiltration of AI companies.

83%

Organizations Attacked

27%

Shadow AI Data Exposure

$2.73M

Average Ransom

93%

Expect AI Attacks 2025

Authoritative Sources:

IBM Security 2024

Google FACADE Research

DFS AI Risk Assessment

Trend Micro AI Report

Critical Intelligence:

North Korean actors use deepfake technology to infiltrate AI companies and steal data

80% of employees use unauthorized AI applications, creating massive shadow AI exposure

Mercedes-Benz GitHub exposure revealed SSO passwords and system blueprints publicly

Published August 27, 2025•Intelligence Assessment

Read Intelligence Report

Foundational Research

15 min read

The Hidden Enemy: 2025 Insider Threat Intelligence Report

Critical findings from 1,400+ organizations reveal the $17.4M annual cost. Comprehensive baseline analysis of attack patterns and defense strategies.

Published August 26, 2025•Ponemon Institute • Gartner • Verizon DBIR

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Research Hub

Access our complete library of insider threat research, industry reports, and threat intelligence analysis

Try Before You Assess

Experience our assessment with these sample questions and see what your results could look like

Visibility Pillar

Question 1 of 3

Preview Mode

How quickly can your organization detect unauthorized access to sensitive data?

This is a preview. Full assessment has detailed explanations.

Sample Results

Your Assessment Results Preview

See how your results would look with detailed analysis and recommendations

Overall Score

Level 3: Managed

Pillar Breakdown

Visibility

Coaching

Evidence

Identity

Phishing

Interactive radar chart showing your strength across all pillars

Get Your Real Results

Why Choose Our Assessment?

Built on authoritative research from Ponemon Institute 2025, Gartner Market Guide G00805757, Verizon DBIR 2024, and ForScie Threat Matrix

Comprehensive Assessment

20 research-backed questions developed from Ponemon Institute 2025 and Gartner Market Guide analysis.

Industry Benchmarks

Compare against industry benchmarks derived from Ponemon Institute 2025 and Verizon DBIR 2024 research.

Actionable Insights

Receive Matrix-enhanced recommendations based on ForScie threat intelligence and expert analysis.

Executive Reports

Generate professional PDFs for board presentations and detailed action plans.

Research-Backed Industry Data

Our assessment framework is built on comprehensive analysis from leading security research organizations

Annual Cost Impact: $17.4M; Average per organization (Ponemon 2025)
Programs Ineffective: 54%; Report less than effective results (Gartner)
Attack Frequency Increase: 48%; Organizations report more frequent attacks (Gartner)
Containment Time: 81 days; Average incident containment (Ponemon 2025)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about insider risk assessment and threat management

What is an insider risk assessment for organizations?+

An insider risk assessment is a comprehensive evaluation tool that measures your organization's vulnerability to insider threats across 5 critical pillars: Visibility & Monitoring, Prevention & Coaching, Investigation & Evidence, Identity & SaaS Management, and Phishing Resilience. Based on Ponemon Institute research showing $17.4M average annual cost of insider threats.

How do I calculate my organization's insider risk index score?+

Your Insider Risk Index (IRI) is calculated using a weighted scoring algorithm based on 20 evidence-based questions across 5 security pillars. The assessment takes 8-12 minutes and provides a 0-100 score with maturity levels from Ad Hoc (0-24) to Optimized (85-100), benchmarked against industry data.

What insider threat detection tools should small businesses use?+

Small businesses should focus on foundational insider threat detection: endpoint monitoring (CrowdStrike, SentinelOne), user activity monitoring (Varonis, Forcepoint), email security (Proofpoint, Microsoft Defender), and privileged access management (CyberArk, BeyondTrust). Start with visibility and monitoring as the first pillar.

How much do insider threats cost organizations annually?+

According to Ponemon Institute 2025 research, insider threats cost organizations an average of $17.4M annually, with individual incidents costing $676,517 on average. Healthcare and financial services face higher costs due to regulatory compliance requirements and sensitive data exposure.

What are the 5 pillars of insider risk management?+

The 5 pillars are: 1) Visibility & Monitoring (25% weight) - detecting unusual behavior, 2) Prevention & Coaching (25%) - training and awareness, 3) Investigation & Evidence (20%) - incident response, 4) Identity & SaaS Management (15%) - access controls, 5) Phishing Resilience (15%) - social engineering defense.