Narcissistic employee or rogue insider threat?

Do you have a bloated view of your abilities and achievements, feel entitled and constantly seek instant gratification, or blame others for your mistakes? Researchers are trying to figure out whether you're a superstar employee or a potential insider threat who can wreak havoc.

Nearly two-thirds of Canadian organizations believe they can handle most forms of insider threat, but few -- only one in seven -- have a specific internal definition of the threats it faces, says a recent report by the Conference Board of Canada.

Nearly 20 per cent have no training on how to deal with insider threats, which is broadly defined by the board "as any person who has the potential to harm an organization for which they have inside knowledge or access."

It comes as no surprise then that the not-for-profit group's report "Understanding, Preventing, Mitigating, and Managing Insider Threats," which was based on surveying 115 Canadian organizations, found prevention should be an organization’s first and strongest line of defence. Findings include defining risk tolerance for loss, damage, or disruption and ensuring there are policies in place on how identify and respond to insider threats.

The first step is to try and figure out the difference between high-performer and potential rogue employee, and it all seems to center around how employees feel validated.

"It's the all-about-me syndrome; highly valuing the individual contribution and having the impression it is undervalued," says Satyamoorthy Kabilan, director, national security and strategic foresight at the Conference Board.

The problem with organizations big or small is that departments usually work in silos so a potential threats can go unnoticed.

If you had a high-performing employee, a line management might say he or she is great. At the same time, HR has received complaints about the employee bullying other workers as they try to build up their own personality. Further, IT might have some information about that worker accessing the system and downloading data at twilight time or some strange hour.

"On their own, for each of those departments nothing is wrong," says Kabilan. "Put them together and you might be asking the question, 'hang on, there may be something wrong with this person.'"

The report showed the majority of organizations saw privacy and information breaches as the most significant threat, followed by workplace violence. Just over 50 per cent saw fraud as a big threat, along with theft, loss and damage to property.

Common Indicators of Insider Threat
People who will become insider threats may:
-exhibit an exaggerated view of abilities and achievements
-exhibit a sense of entitlement and self-centredness
-seek immediate gratification and satisfaction
-be intolerant of criticism, minimizing the significance
of mistakes
-tend to blame others for mistakes
-appear to feel they are being treated unfairly
-exhibit unreasonable feelings of anger toward others
-appear to feel provoked or forced to act inappropriately
-try to access information without authorization prior to travel, vacation, or termination
-appear secretive or deceitful regarding employment plans
-have a tendency toward social isolation
-have a history of substance abuse
-discuss starting their own business, taking work elsewhere