For an activity this we were tasked with finding an example of an insider attack. An insider attack could be carried out by a true insider, say a disgruntled or greedy employee being bribed to divulge secrets or commit sabotage for a competitor. Or it could be a spy, someone who has joined an organisation for the purpose of finding information or doing damage. Trust is a critical art of human relationships, be they personal, work or societal. Even those of us on the lookout for security risks expect most people to be trustworthy. When we suffer an insider attack it is emotional because of this absolute breach of trust. 

I thought I’d take a bit of a different approach to this one and demonstrate how many workers are unwitting insiders. Putting their own interests ahead of the organisations or colleagues.

Bad employees and the CIA

I remember seeing a list of CIA directions for reducing productivity and it seems that people do these things all of the time, probably unwittingly while at work. I’ve seen some elaborate lists on the internet, but found this on the CIA website: https://www.cia.gov/stories/story/the-art-of-simple-sabotage/

Points three and four resonated with me:

3. Managers and Supervisors: To lower morale and production, think of the worst boss you’ve had and act like that. Be pleasant to inefficient workers; give them undeserved promotions. Discriminate against efficient workers; complain unjustly about their work. When possible, refer all matters to committees for “further study and consideration.” Attempt to make the committees as large and bureaucratic as possible.

4. Employees: Be forgetful. Clumsy. Work slowly. Think of ways to increase the number of movements needed to do your job: use a light hammer instead of a heavy one; try to make a small wrench do instead of a big one.

Reflection

I’m sure I’m not the only person to have noticed this behaviour in managers and workers in various jobs. Surely they aren’t all acting for an external party to sabotage their employer. But perhaps they are acting for their own interests. Everyone has their own motivations, some are benign, maybe someone is just lazy and wants to do as little as possible. Some are malignant, maybe someone wants their manager’s job so is actively trying to make them look bad.

I think this brings us back to trust and alignment of interests. If employees’ interests aren’t aligned with the company’s, or vice versa then there’s a potential risk of every employee becoming an insider for themselves. How can this be prevented? That’s a good question and one that I think will come down to culture.