--- title: "Defeat Insider Threats | Control" url: https://fire-vault.com/control-for-insider-threat description: "Create physical boundaries an insider cannot bypass. Govern access to critical systems with multi-party controls that prevent malicious or accidental." lang: en-GB --- Threat Response # Eliminate Insider Threat Through Physical Access Governance Insider threats exploit the persistent connectivity that organisations grant to trusted users. When access paths are physically removed outside operational windows, the opportunity for misuse ceases to exist. Back to Control: https://fire-vault.com/solutions/control Image: Corridor of offline storage racks inside a Firevault bunker (https://fire-vault.com/assets/hero-square-bunker-B6Y7Qt9r.jpg) The exposure in numbers 01 Of data breaches involve internal actors 34% Of data breaches involve internal actors 02 Average time to detect an insider threat incident 85 days Average time to detect an insider threat incident 03 Persistent access paths outside authorised windows Zero Persistent access paths outside authorised windows 04 Session activity recorded on tamper-proof storage 100% Session activity recorded on tamper-proof storage The Threat ## Trusted access is the most dangerous attack surface. 01 ### Persistent Privileged Access Administrators and privileged users maintain always-on access to critical systems. Even when they are not working, their credentials can reach sensitive infrastructure through paths that never close. 02 ### Detection Difficulty Insider actions appear legitimate because they use authorised credentials on authorised systems. Traditional monitoring struggles to distinguish malicious activity from normal operations. 03 ### Extended Dwell Time Insiders operate slowly and deliberately, exfiltrating data in small increments over months. By the time anomalous behaviour is detected, the damage is already extensive. Threat Response > You cannot detect your way out of an insider threat when the insider has legitimate access. The only defence is to ensure the access path does not exist outside the window when it is needed. The Scenario ### Scenario: Privileged Administrator Data Exfiltration A database administrator at a financial services firm gives notice after being passed over for promotion. Over the following four weeks, they access customer databases during quiet evening hours, exporting records in small batches that fall below data loss prevention thresholds. Their access is legitimate, their credentials are valid, and their queries look routine. With Control, the database management path is physically severed outside business hours. The administrator's credentials remain valid, but the network path to the database infrastructure does not exist between 19:00 and 07:00. Access during business hours requires multi-party authorisation through the Lock module, with every session recorded on physically disconnected storage. "Our DLP flagged nothing. Our SIEM flagged nothing. The queries were within normal parameters. The only thing that would have stopped it was removing the path entirely when it was not needed." Insider threat chain ## How Control constrains a trusted insider. Insider risk is not about catching every action. It is about ensuring that no single trusted person can quietly stage, exfiltrate or destroy. Control turns every sensitive movement into a named, authorised, evidenced event. Mapped to MITRE ATT&CK insider-relevant techniques (T1078 Valid Accounts, T1567 Exfiltration, T1485 Data Destruction) and CERT Insider Threat Center patterns. 1. ST 01 Reconnaissance TA0043 ◤ Attacker A trusted user with legitimate credentials begins browsing shares, mapping where the valuable data lives. ◢ Control breaks it Sensitive stores require a named, approved session to be reachable at all. Casual discovery has no surface to land on. Image: FV-Lock module icon (https://fire-vault.com/assets/lock-icon-UU3vOaKE.png) Lock Image: FV-Isolate module icon (https://fire-vault.com/assets/isolate-icon-B9t8fl3o.png) Isolate ✕ Break here 2. ST 02 Collection and Staging TA0009 ◤ Attacker Copies records into a personal share or a hidden folder, ready to move out of the environment in bulk. ◢ Control breaks it Movement off the protected zone is a governed Transfer event with multi-party approval, file inventory and audit. Image: FV-Transfer module icon (https://fire-vault.com/assets/transfer-icon-DqGa0PQI.png) Transfer Image: FV-Validate module icon (https://fire-vault.com/assets/vault-icon-CD3Pv4ri.png) Validate ✕ Break here 3. ST 03 Exfiltration TA0010 ◤ Attacker Pushes the staged data to a personal cloud, an unmanaged device or a recipient outside the control of the organisation. ◢ Control breaks it Outbound paths to unmanaged destinations are physically severed. The exfiltration route does not exist. Image: FV-Firebreak module icon (https://fire-vault.com/assets/firebreak-icon-7zSCkB1t.png) Firebreak Image: FV-Unlink module icon (https://fire-vault.com/assets/unlink-icon-B8GFAVW1.png) Unlink ✕ Break here 4. ST 04 Destruction or Sabotage T1485 ◤ Attacker Deletes or alters records on the way out, hoping the gap is only found long after they have left. ◢ Control breaks it Tamper-evident copies sit in the offline vault. Originals can be restored and the change is recorded against the named actor. Image: FV-Archive module icon (https://fire-vault.com/assets/archive-icon-B3rc85NY.png) Archive Image: FV-Validate module icon (https://fire-vault.com/assets/vault-icon-CD3Pv4ri.png) Validate Outcome · outcome block Trust is preserved without becoming a single point of failure. Every sensitive action is named, approved and reversible from a copy the insider could not reach. Modules & symbols Image: FV-Lock module icon (https://fire-vault.com/assets/lock-icon-UU3vOaKE.png) Lock Named access Image: FV-Isolate module icon (https://fire-vault.com/assets/isolate-icon-B9t8fl3o.png) Isolate Zone boundary Image: FV-Transfer module icon (https://fire-vault.com/assets/transfer-icon-DqGa0PQI.png) Transfer Controlled move Image: FV-Validate module icon (https://fire-vault.com/assets/vault-icon-CD3Pv4ri.png) Validate Integrity check Image: FV-Firebreak module icon (https://fire-vault.com/assets/firebreak-icon-7zSCkB1t.png) Firebreak Physical sever Image: FV-Unlink module icon (https://fire-vault.com/assets/unlink-icon-B8GFAVW1.png) Unlink Remove trust Image: FV-Archive module icon (https://fire-vault.com/assets/archive-icon-B3rc85NY.png) Archive Disconnected copy ✕ Break here Chain severed by Firevault ◤ Attacker step MITRE ATT&CK tactic Featured In Read about Firevault on TechRadar Pro: https://www.techradar.com/pro/uk-startup-put-physical-disconnect-switch-in-its-cloud-storage-offering-to-mitigate-ransomware-attacks-but-will-that-be-enough Read about Firevault on Yahoo Finance: https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/firevault-launches-help-businesses-directors-074500961.html Read about Firevault on Channel Insider: https://www.channelinsider.com/security/tools-and-platforms/firevault-security-offline-platform-offering/ Read about Firevault on Security Buyer: https://securitybuyer.com/uk-cybersecurity-startup-launches-firevault/ Read about Firevault on SecurityBrief: https://securitybrief.com.au/story/firevault-unveils-offline-digital-vault-to-combat-rising-cyber-risks Capabilities ## What you get with every deployment 01 ### Time-Bound Access Administrative paths to critical systems exist only during authorised windows. Outside these windows, physical disconnection removes the path entirely. 02 ### Multi-Party Authorisation No single credential holder can activate a path to sensitive infrastructure. Two or more authorised parties must approve every access session. 03 ### Immutable Session Recording Every keystroke, query, and data transfer during an authorised session is recorded on physically disconnected storage that the user cannot access or modify. 04 ### Credential Isolation Administrative credentials are separated from the network paths they govern. Compromised or misused credentials cannot reach systems when the path is severed. 05 ### Zero Standing Access No user maintains persistent connectivity to critical systems. Every session is explicitly authorised, time-bound, and automatically terminated. 06 ### Behavioural Baseline Evidence Tamper-proof logs on disconnected storage provide the evidence needed for disciplinary proceedings, regulatory reporting, and criminal prosecution. Demo to Live ## Adoption Guide Step 1 #### Privileged Access Audit Map every user, service account, and credential that maintains persistent access to critical systems, identifying standing privileges that exceed operational requirements. Step 2 #### Access Window Design Define time-bound operational windows for each critical system, with multi-party authorisation requirements and session recording policies. Step 3 #### Controlled Pilot Deploy on a single critical system with full session recording, testing the multi-party authorisation workflow and emergency access procedures. Step 4 #### Enterprise Rollout Extend to all critical infrastructure with automated window management, tamper-proof logging, and integration with existing identity governance platforms. Step 1 #### Privileged Access Audit Step 2 #### Access Window Design Step 3 #### Controlled Pilot Step 4 #### Enterprise Rollout Organise a Demo: https://fire-vault.com/contact ## Explore More ### Ransomware Containment Sever the path before ransomware spreads. Learn more about Ransomware Containment https://fire-vault.com/control-for-ransomware-containment ### Supply Chain Risk Disconnect third-party paths when not in active use. Learn more about Supply Chain Risk https://fire-vault.com/control-for-supply-chain-risk ### FV-Unlink Credential and session isolation from production paths. Learn more about FV-Unlink https://fire-vault.com/control/modules/unlink Questions ## Frequently Asked ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://fire-vault.com/#organization", "name": "Firevault", "legalName": "Firevault Limited", "url": "https://fire-vault.com", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://fire-vault.com/logo.png", "width": 200, "height": 60 }, "foundingDate": "2025-03", "description": "Protect what matters with Offline Secure Storage and control what moves with Control by Firevault. 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