ABSTRACT
Introduction A primary reason for considering Internet vetting is the fundamental changes that have occurred in people’s behaviors since the 1970s in the workplace and since the early 1990s on networked computers and computing devices. The insider threat deserves in-depth analysis because it has such a large impact on all types of organizations, but that is left for another day. Studies of industrial crimes, shrinkage, losses ascribed to embezzlement, and espionage have shown increases in the incidence and seriousness of insider crime for the past 20 to 30 years. However, precise metrics are lacking, and the relevance of available survey statistics in a field with so little tangible, public evidence is limited. Are we seeing better reporting, better detection, or a higher incidence of insider crime? We certainly are seeing a higher level of attention paid to the insider threat in government and industry, whether it is leaks, treason, workplace violence, or intellectual property loss that is the focus of concern. Even user errors cause serious losses.
