What typically defines an insider threat?

An insider threat is characterized by individuals who have legitimate access to an organization's resources and use that access to harm the organization intentionally, either for personal gain or to cause damage. The selection that indicates this is a past employee using unauthorized access, as it highlights someone who was once part of the organization and had legitimate access rights but has since moved on yet continues to leverage those rights improperly. This scenario illustrates how insider threats can emerge even after an individual’s official relationship with the organization has ended, emphasizing the need for robust access management policies to mitigate such risks.

In contrast, individuals with external access do not fall under the definition of insider threats because they lack the legitimate access that insiders have. A random security breach does not specifically denote insider involvement, as it could be the result of external actors or factors unrelated to any authorized user. Similarly, a cyber attack from a foreign entity clearly identifies an external threat, which is outside the concept of insider threats, defined by the unauthorized actions of individuals within the organization.