Bluerydge on Managing Insider Threats in the Age of Espionage

Bluerydge Manages Insider Threats in the Age of Espionage

The recent arrest of Army Private Kira Korolev and her husband Igor Korolev on charges of espionage has brought the issue of insider threats to the forefront of national security concerns—but the issue might be closer to home for business owners.

While the case of the Korolevs, accused of working together to obtain and transmit sensitive information to Russian authorities, highlights the insidious nature of insider threats, Bluerydge founder and director Tom Kazan says they are also more pervasive than most realise.

“Insider threats pose a unique challenge due to their complexity and the subtlety with which they can develop. Once you start working in the industry, your eyes open up to how common it is,” he says.

“It can be hardest to accept or even see the threats from within our own ranks; it feels so personal. Humans are complex, unique creatures, each with their own personal issues, vulnerabilities and internal and external factors manipulating them.”

Tom, who has extensive experience advising on and investigating insider threats within the National Security Community (NSC) and broader Australian industry, says many incidents remain unreported due to their sensitive nature.

“We’re talking about people we’ve worked with, maybe hired, maybe trained, perhaps they’ve even become friends. So it can feel like a giant leap to think that behaviour which might seem a little strange or suspicious could be a genuine threat,” he says.

“When the threat is coming from the inside, it feels like there’s a burden to come up with irrefutable and overwhelming evidence before you report anything or investigate, and you have to keep it under wraps until you have that.”

The Growing Risk of Insider Threats

A reluctance to “rock the boat” could lead to under-preparedness, and the consequences for organisations can be dire.

Adding to the challenge is the simplicity of how insider threats can develop.

“We once supported a customer through managing an insider threat, and it came from a common and very run-of-the-mill scenario: a disgruntled employee who decided to take their grievances to the next level. They hired a foreign criminal group on the dark web and paid them somewhere between $500 and $1000, additionally arming them with detailed internal knowledge,” Tom says.

“This third party then conducted a successful attack, and the impact to the organisation was a significant loss of information and trust. It’s hard to say if they have to this day, recovered.”

The Long-Term Consequences of Insider Threats

The most profound damage from an insider threat is often reputational, but the effects ripple into financial loss and business continuity.

“It’s losing contracts and the ability to secure new opportunities, it’s the impact of the loss of IP (intellectual property) or personal data,” Tom explains.

For government organisations and departments, the stakes are even higher:

• Loss of public trust due to security breaches.
• Compromise of classified or sensitive information, which can impact assets overseas.

• Espionage risks, where leaked data falls into the hands of foreign actors.

   

“This is a particularly serious threat at times like these when geo-politics are so contentious,” Tom says.

Bluerydge’s Insider Threat Management Strategies

Bluerydge has supported numerous clients in addressing insider threats, from identifying employees colluding with concerning actors to preventing intellectual property theft.

To proactively manage insider risks, Tom stresses the need for a comprehensive, multi-layered approach that combines:

1. Human intelligence and behavioural analysis – Understanding the psychological pathways that lead employees to insider activity.
2. Technology-driven detection – Using AI, anomaly detection, and real-time data analytics to flag suspicious activity.

3. Cross-department collaboration – Ensuring security, IT, HR, and legal teams work together to detect and manage threats.

    

“This involves understanding the various pathways through which employees can be coerced or manipulated, and the early indicators that suggest an individual may be on a trajectory toward becoming a threat,” Tom explains.

“Our strategies are designed to help organisations not only detect and manage but also preempt potential insider threats.”

The Importance of Cross-Departmental Coordination

Insider threats often don’t appear obvious at first glance—instead, they manifest as subtle anomalies across different areas of an organisation.

“Your security department might notice anomalies with the use of an employee’s key card, IT might detect something off about system usage, HR might note something odd around absences – none of these things might seem like anything on their own, but together might paint a different picture,” Tom says.

Building an Organisational Culture of Vigilance

To effectively mitigate insider threats, organisations need to foster awareness and provide training at all levels.

“It’s important to make staff aware that this is a genuine threat because most won’t know. They need to be trained on what to look out for in their various departments, and when to report anomalies,” Tom advises.

Companies should also:

✅ Engage with the Information Security Manual (ISM) to follow best practices.
✅ Implement insider threat policies that clearly outline reporting procedures.
✅ Combine human-led strategies with advanced technology for enhanced protection.

“Beyond that, there are technological solutions that, in conjunction with the human element, can build your organisation a powerful layer of protection against insider threats,” Tom says.

Looking Ahead: Strengthening Insider Threat Prevention

With espionage and insider threats becoming more sophisticated, proactive risk management is more critical than ever.

Bluerydge remains dedicated to helping organisations implement robust security strategies, ensuring they can:

• Detect, investigate, and mitigate insider risks early.
• Build resilience through awareness, training, and compliance frameworks.

• Leverage advanced cybersecurity tools to prevent breaches.

   

As national security risks escalate, organisations must remain vigilant—and Bluerydge is ready to help protect against insider threats before they become catastrophic.

For more information on Bluerydge’s insider threat management strategies, contact us today.