Security breaches and the compromise of sensitive information are very real concerns for any organisation today. Studies have shown that though the likelihood of the attack from insiders may be very low as compared to external threats, the magnitude of the impact is at least 10 times more than that of the total impact an external attacker can cause. This is because an insider attack is committed by people who know the organisation’s most sensitive secrets and vulnerabilities and have access to its systems. In most cases, breaches by insiders are committed by individuals who have no intention of doing anything wrong.
Data Security Council of India (DSCI) and Price Water house Coopers (PWC) have jointly conducted a study to understand the challenges and risks associated with insider threats. The study has been conducted to understand the security posture of the Indian IT/BPO industry from an insider threat perspective and the perceptions of the client organisations on the same.
Surprisingly, not even a single incident was attributed to the senior management of the organisation. This was in contrast to our findings from secondary research, where senior management was found to be involved in a number of such incidents.
The survey revealed that an insider can be motivated to commit a crime due to a number of reasons, viz. information gain, personal financial gain, a new job, unsatisfactory appraisal or unmet professional expectations, an urge to prove oneself, antagonism towards the management etc. As per 89% of the service provider organisations, behavioural motivation to break existing norms is the primary motive that leads to insider threat. This might be due to the predominant youth mix in the IT/BPO industry
On the other hand, 75% of the respondents in the client organisations believe that personal financial gain is the prime motive for insiders at service provider organisations to carry out illicit activities.
Dissatisfaction with organisation policies was rated as the second most probable reason that leads to insider threat as 44% service provider organisations highlighted this as a concern. However, in contrast, 25% of client organisations believe this to be a reason for insider threat at service provider organisations.
It is encouraging to note that not even a single respondent in service provider organisations considers competition as a driving force for insider threat. This observation is supported by client organisations
Interestingly, most of the factors such as dissatisfaction with organisational policy, dissatisfaction with immediate supervisor, feeling of entitlement, urge to prove oneself, breaking existing norms and unmet expectations, that lead to insider threats can be controlled. This means that by understanding such (controllable) motivational factors, an organisation can tune its policies to contain insider incidents
1. Which of the following is/are true about security breaches according to the passage?
1.An insider is more likely to make such a breach.
2. Inside attackers are a bigger risk factor.
3. Security is compromised for no reason at all.
4. Both (1) and (2)
5. None of these
2. When a security breach is made from inside, the most likely reason(s) for this is/are that
1. an insider knows better about the sensitive areas of an organisation
2. it is easy for an insider to access the system
3. there is an impulse in most insiders to corrupt the system
4. the individual involved dislikes the authorities
5. All of these
3. Which of the following is/are definitely true according to the passage?
A. DSCI independently conducted a survey to understand the challenges and risks related to insider attacks.
B. The study was to understand the attitude of Indian IT/BPO industry and the thinking of client organisation about the insider attacks.
C. In an earlier survey, senior management remained blameless in such incidents.
1. Only A
2. Only B
3. Both A and B
4. Both B and C
5. All of the above
4. In which of the following situations is an insider not likely to pose a security threat?
1. He got a raise of INR 1000, but he expected more than five folds than this.
2. His colleague, who is also his close friend, has been terminated for no apparent reason.
3. He has not been in good terms with his senior.
4. He gets bonus at the end of the fiscal year.
5. None of these
5. Which of the following is/are not true about the client organisations according to the passage?
1. 44% of them believe that dissatisfaction with organisational policies is a concern.
2. Most of them believe that money is the prime motivating factor for insider security breaches.
3. None of them holds competition responsible for insider security threats.
4. Both (1) and (2)
5. Both (1) and (3)
6. Choose the word/group of words which is most similar in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage. REAL
1. big
2. Legitimate
3. original
4. new
5. tricky
7. Choose the word/group of words which is most similar in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage. SENSITIVE
1. complex
2. Perceptive
3. unsafe
4. important
5. secure
8. Choose the word/group of words which is most opposite in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage. FORCE
1. discourage
2. Weaken
3. pacify
4. push
5. free
9. Choose the word/group of words which is most opposite in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage. IMMEDIATE
1. later
2. Never
3. distant
4. past
5. unfamiliar
(Q.10-14) Directions: Rearrange the following sentences in the proper sequence to form a coherent paragraph, and then answer the question given below:
1. From the point of view of personal disorgan isation, the unemployed person faces disillusionment and falls easy prey to cynicism.
2. Unemployment affects an individual, family, as well as society, or it may be said that unemployment causes personal disorg anisation, family disorganisation, and social disorganisation.
3. Most of the criminals are undoubtedly recruited from boys with a history of earlier delinquencies but there has been an increase in the number of daring criminals with the decrease in work opportunities.
4. These anti–social activities offer a chance to the undisciplined and recalcitrant youth to extract a living.
5. Having no outlet to release their depression, young persons tune their creative energies into wrong channels which explains the rise of the number of youthful bandits, highway robberies and bank hold ups.
10. Which of the following should be the FIRST sentence after the rearrangement?
1. (1)
2. (2)
3. (3)
4. (4)
5. (5)
11. Which of the following should be the SECOND sentence after the rearrangement?
1. (1)
2. (2)
3. (3)
4. (4)
5. (5)
12. Which of the following should be the THIRD sentence after the rearrangement?
1. (1)
2. (2)
3. (3)
4. (4)
5. (5)
13. Which of the following should be the FOURTH sentence after the rearrangement?
1. (1)
2. (2)
3. (3)
4. (4)
5. (5)
14. Which of the following should be the FIFTH sentence after the rearrangement?
1. (1)
2. (2)
3. (3)
4. (4)
5. (5)
(Q.15-17). Directions: Four parts of the sentence given below have been underlined. Identify the part having an error. If no part has an error, mark (E).
15. Located in Canada, the Columbia Icefield (A) covers area of 120 square miles (B) and is 3300 feet (C) thick in some (D) places. (E) No error
1. (A)
2. (B)
3. (C)
4. (D)
5. (E)
16. An involuntary reflex, (A) an yawn is almost impossible to stop (B) once the mouth muscles (C) begin the (D) stretching action. (E) No error
1. (A)
2. (B)
3. (C)
4. (D)
5. (E)
17. Sleep is (A) controlled by (B) the brain and (C) associated by characteristic (D) breathing rhythms. (E) No error
1. (A)
2. (B)
3. (C)
4. (D)
5. (E)
(Q.18&19). Directions: The sentence below has two blanks. Beneath the sentence are five sets of words. Choose the set of words that when inserted in the sentence, best fits the meaning of the sentence
18. A careful __________ of the house revealed no clues and hence, investigators were left __________.
1. prodding, inconclusive
2. incineration, abandoned
3. autopsy, unattended
4. examination, perplexed
5. appraisal, unresolved
19. The _________ young man is too keen to ______ the dubious scheme without a second thought.
1. impetuous, implement
2. excited, imprecate
3. impervious, impregnate
4. fecund, impersonate
5. smart, reject
20. Directions: Select the best meaning of the given phrase. Laugh up one's sleeve
1. to hide from difficulty
2. to make others laugh
3. to laugh secretly
4. to poke fun at others
5. to be a gainer
21. Directions: Select the option most similar in meaning to the word in bold letters. INFRINGE
1. transgress
2. keep within bounds
3. adept
4. Candid
5. penalise
22. Directions: Select the option most similar in meaning to the italicised word. A gourmet
1. fond of travelling
2. fond of eating
3. vegetarian
4. judge of quality food
5. fond of quality
23. Directions: Select the option most opposite in meaning to the word in bold letters. PLEBEIAN
1. aristocratic
2. Democratic
3. autocratic
4. plutocratic
5. paternal
24. Directions: Select the word most opposite in meaning to the given word. EERIE
1. macabre
2. Grizzly
3. Interesting
4. Pleasing
5. preternatural
25. Directions: Choose the option which does not belong to the group.
1. ensemble
2. Procession
3. Entourage
4. Motorcade
5. convoy
