Tuesday, May 31, 2011- Thursday, June 2, 2011

     We have returned back to Army Cyber and have begun some more in depth research.

Insider Threat: “...intentionally disruptive, unethical, or illegal behavior enacted by individuals who possess substantial internal access to the organization’s information assets.” - ISSA

     I have spent most of my time reading different articles and studies about insider threats, where companies have suffered losses or damage because of the actions of someone on the inside. Carnegie Mellon University and its Computer Emergency Response Team has proven to be a very helpful source in my research. Throughout my initial research and brainstorming I quickly learned that it is impossible to completely get rid of the insider threat and that finding a way to mitigate/deter the insider from committing such crimes is something that needs to be developed. I am currently looking at the banking industry and how insiders have used their access to fatten their wallets, but I have also looked in depth at the case of Bradley Manning as well as some other phishing and malware incidents.

     My research goal is to determine a way to enhance how we as an Army mitigate the insider threat. This is currently one of the biggest issues on the cyber side of things and this became very apparent once the Bradley Manning incident occurred. Many companies have tried to develop software and computer systems that help against the insider threat through auditing, They mainly are looking for patterns that look malicious or different than what  should normally be occurring. The outline to my paper is starting to take some basic shape and will hopefully be complete by the end of today or tomorrow.

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will." -Vince Lombardi