A Framework of Opportunity-Reducing Techniques to Mitigate the Insider Threat: Towards Best Practice

Abstract

This paper presents a unified framework derived from extant opportunity-reducing techniques employed to mitigate the insider threat leveraging best practices. Although both motive and opportunity are required to commit maleficence, this paper focuses on the concept of opportunity. Opportunity is more tangible than motive; hence, it is more pragmatic to reflect on opportunity-reducing measures. Opportunity theories from the field of criminology are considered to this end. The derived framework highlights several areas of research and may assist organizations in implementing controls that are situationally appropriate to mitigate insider threat.