What happens when someone inside the system, entrusted with national secrets, begins to see another country as their true allegiance? This is the dilemma posed by insider threats – trusted individuals who, whether by intent or negligence, cause harm to the organisations that trust them and rely on them. Within the Australian federal government exists a […]
Insider threat – the trusted worker with ideological challenges Read More »
“Foreign interference is no longer a hypothetical threat – it is active, evolving, and targeting the systems that underpin our nation’s security.” Mike Burgess, ASIO Director-General, 2025 Threat Assessment According to the 2025 Annual Threat Assessment delivered by ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess, foreign interference and espionage are occurring at “extreme levels” and are “set to increase further”. The
Reporting in March 2025 exposed that Ambulance Victoria had suffered an insider threat event. Media reported that Ambulance Victoria suspected that a “rogue member of staff” had stolen personal and financial data of up to 3,000 Ambulance Victoria members. Reportedly, this ‘rogue member’ had recently ended their employment with Ambulance Victoria, but before they left, on their final day,
Insider Threat – Ambulance Victoria Read More »
A lesson from history – why workers today might sabotage emerging workplace technology. The tsunami of artificial intelligence – AI – that has swamped many facets of peoples’ lives, communications, IT-based activities, leisure, and employment is relentless, and the flooding will likely penetrate even further into the uplands of society and the economy. The force of
Insider Threat – Luddites in the workplace Read More »
Prologue In February 2025, the United States National Counterintelligence and Security Center (or NCSC) released a report titled Insider Threat Mitigation for U.S. Critical Infrastructure Entities – Guidelines from an Intelligence Perspective. Pentagram Advisory is flagging this report with our followers because its insights are equally valid for Australia’s critical infrastructure owners and operators, as defined by Australia’s Security
Insider Threat Mitigation Advice for Critical Infrastructure Entities Read More »
When does a trusted employee become a risk? Insider threats do not emerge overnight—they are often the result of a gradual shift driven by workplace and personal factors. While organisations focus on technical defences, they can overlook the human element: the psychosocial hazards that can turn loyal employees into potential insider threats. To explore this
In the workplace setting an employer provides money and / or other benefits to a person in exchange for their labour, knowledge, and time. The relationship is formally set out in a contract which details obligations that fall upon both the employer and employee, contractor, or volunteer – a principle known as quid pro quo. Examples of obligations
In the National Interest – Two Recent Insider Threat Events in Australia Read More »
Employees in organisations hold varying levels of responsibility and trust, with some having direct access to critical assets, systems, protected information, decision-making process, and key operational functions. Being a critical worker is both a privilege and a responsibility – those entrusted with access to critical assets play an important role in maintaining the security and continuity of essential services. However,
“The problem with collective responsibility is that it leads to collective irresponsibility.” Michael Novak, an American philosopher, journalist, and diplomat In today’s complex geostrategic threat environment, insider threats pose one of the most significant challenges to security of the Australian critical infrastructure companies. Whether malicious or unintentional, threats originating from within an organisation can have devastating
Prologue In an article Pentagram Advisory published in January 2025, titled The Insider Threat and AUKUS: Safeguarding Australia’s Strategic Partnership we considered the incoming Trump administration’s concern with insider threat within the United States Government, the military, and defence sector. By extension, in the article, we explored what such concerns within Trump’s administration might herald for Australia
