Gangs Infiltrating Companies As Insiders To Steal Idenities

It was only a matter of time before organized gangs would discover how easy it is for an insider to gain access to sensitive data and realize that if you can't beat them, join them. A recent blog titled "NY ID Theft Ring Used Insiders, Gang Members" published by Brian Krebs highlights that "Authorities in Manhattan today unsealed indictments against 55 people suspected of operating an identity theft and financial fraud ring, including a number of insiders at banks and companies throughout New York who allegedly helped to steal more than $2 million from hundreds of customers and clients." “These insiders used their positions to gain access to client data, and then sold that data to make money for themselves and their accomplices,” District Attorney Vance said in a written statement. “We will continue to work with our partners to build significant cases to disrupt identity theft and dismantle these criminal organizations.” We have blogged extensively on the level of control an employee with full administrative credentials on both desktop as well as server computers can wield when they decide to misuse privilege for the purposes of data theft or damage. Extending this level of control to virtualized and cloud environments only makes the management more elusive and difficult to remediate when tragedy does strike. Implementing a least privilege solution is the only way to truly mitigate insider threats whether intentional (and/or organized crime/gang related), accidental or indirect.