Most Effective Method of Preventing Deliberate Internal Security Breaches

B.

Deliberate internal security breaches refer to malicious actions by authorized users, such as employees, contractors, or business partners, who intentionally exploit their access privileges to cause harm or gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. To prevent these types of incidents, organizations need to implement various security measures that address the human, technical, and administrative aspects of their operations. Out of the options given, the MOST effective method of preventing deliberate internal security breaches is screening prospective employees.

A. Screening prospective employees:

Screening prospective employees involves conducting thorough background checks, verifying employment history and credentials, conducting criminal and financial checks, and assessing their character and reliability. By doing so, organizations can identify potential red flags that may indicate a person's inclination to engage in malicious activities, such as theft, fraud, or espionage. Organizations can also use psychometric tests or interviews to assess a person's personality traits, values, and motivation, which can help identify potential insider threats. Screening prospective employees is a critical component of the overall security posture, and it can significantly reduce the likelihood of insider incidents. However, it is important to note that even the best screening process cannot completely eliminate the risk of insider threats.

B. Well-designed firewall system:

A well-designed firewall system is a network security device that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic based on predetermined security policies. Firewalls are essential for securing the network perimeter and preventing unauthorized access to internal systems and data. However, firewalls are not designed to prevent insider threats since they focus on external threats, such as hackers, malware, and other forms of cyberattacks. Moreover, insiders can bypass firewalls by exploiting their authorized access or by using social engineering tactics to gain access to the network.

C. Well-designed intrusion detection system (IDS):

A well-designed intrusion detection system (IDS) is a security technology that monitors network and system activity for signs of malicious behavior or policy violations. IDS can help detect insider threats by alerting security personnel when an authorized user attempts to access unauthorized data or performs unusual activities that violate established policies. However, IDS alone cannot prevent insider threats since it relies on detecting suspicious activity after it occurs. Also, it may generate a high number of false positives, which can overwhelm security teams and lead to alert fatigue.

D. Biometric security access control:

Biometric security access control is a security technology that uses biological characteristics, such as fingerprints, facial recognition, or iris scans, to authenticate users and grant access to systems and data. Biometric systems are more secure than traditional password-based authentication since they are harder to forge or steal. However, biometric systems can be vulnerable to insider threats since they rely on the integrity of the biometric data and the accuracy of the biometric matching algorithm. Insiders can compromise biometric systems by tampering with the biometric sensors or by using fake biometric data.

In conclusion, out of the options given, screening prospective employees is the MOST effective method of preventing deliberate internal security breaches. While all the other options are important components of an effective security program, they cannot completely prevent insider threats since insiders have authorized access to the systems and data. Therefore, organizations should invest in a comprehensive security program that includes multiple layers of security controls, such as access controls, monitoring systems, training and awareness programs, and incident response plans, to minimize the risk of insider incidents.