What are insider threats?

Insider threats refer to security risks that originate from individuals within an organization, such as employees, contractors, or business partners, who have inside information regarding the organization's security practices, data, and computer systems. These individuals can intentionally or unintentionally cause harm to the organization's information systems.

The correct answer highlights that insider threats often emerge from people who have legitimate access to the organization’s resources. This could involve malicious actions such as data theft or sabotage, or it could stem from negligence, such as falling for a phishing attack or mishandling sensitive information.

In contrast, the other options focus on external threats or specific types of vulnerabilities that do not originate from within the organization. Attacks from external hackers are a separate category entirely as they involve outsiders attempting to breach security without prior access or knowledge of the internal workings. Malware introduced through software updates also pertains to external factors impacting system integrity but is not related to individuals inside the organization. Similarly, unauthorized access by third-party vendors focuses on external actors rather than personnel within the organization.