Navigating the Insider Threat Tool Landscape: Low-Cost Technical Solutions to Jump-Start an Insider Threat Program

SEI Report
This paper explores low cost technical solutions that can help organizations prevent, detect, and respond to insider incidents.
Publisher

Software Engineering Institute

Topic or Tag

Abstract

This paper explores low-cost technical solutions that can help organizations prevent, detect, and respond to insider incidents and provides the following:

  • an overview of features and functionality associated with insider risk mitigation tools
  • a taxonomy for high-level categories of insider threat tools
  • a discussion of the relationship between the types of tools, the nuances of insider threat control deployment, and considerations for selecting, implementing, and operating insider threat tools
Cite This SEI Report

Spooner, D., Silowash, G., Costa, D., & Albrethsen, M. (2018, July 3). Navigating the Insider Threat Tool Landscape: Low-Cost Technical Solutions to Jump-Start an Insider Threat Program. Retrieved September 12, 2026, from https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/navigating-the-insider-threat-tool-landscape-low-cost-technical-solutions-to-jump-start-an-insider-threat-program/.

@techreport{spooner_2018,
author={Spooner, Derrick and Silowash, George and Costa, Dan and Albrethsen, Michael},
title={Navigating the Insider Threat Tool Landscape: Low-Cost Technical Solutions to Jump-Start an Insider Threat Program},
month={Jul},
year={2018},
institution={Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University},
url={https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/navigating-the-insider-threat-tool-landscape-low-cost-technical-solutions-to-jump-start-an-insider-threat-program/},
note={Accessed: 2026-Sep-12}
}

Spooner, Derrick, George Silowash, Dan Costa, and Michael Albrethsen. "Navigating the Insider Threat Tool Landscape: Low-Cost Technical Solutions to Jump-Start an Insider Threat Program." Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, July 3, 2018. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/navigating-the-insider-threat-tool-landscape-low-cost-technical-solutions-to-jump-start-an-insider-threat-program/.

D. Spooner, G. Silowash, D. Costa, and M. Albrethsen, "Navigating the Insider Threat Tool Landscape: Low-Cost Technical Solutions to Jump-Start an Insider Threat Program," Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, 3-Jul-2018 [Online]. Available: https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/navigating-the-insider-threat-tool-landscape-low-cost-technical-solutions-to-jump-start-an-insider-threat-program/. [Accessed: 12-Sep-2026].

Spooner, Derrick, George Silowash, Dan Costa, and Michael Albrethsen. "Navigating the Insider Threat Tool Landscape: Low-Cost Technical Solutions to Jump-Start an Insider Threat Program." Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute, 3 Jul. 2018. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/navigating-the-insider-threat-tool-landscape-low-cost-technical-solutions-to-jump-start-an-insider-threat-program/. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

Spooner, Derrick; Silowash, George; Costa, Dan; & Albrethsen, Michael. Navigating the Insider Threat Tool Landscape: Low-Cost Technical Solutions to Jump-Start an Insider Threat Program. Software Engineering Institute. 2018. https://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/navigating-the-insider-threat-tool-landscape-low-cost-technical-solutions-to-jump-start-an-insider-threat-program/