Coffee & Conversation: Insights from NCSC on Insider Threat

On Tuesday, October 15, INSA hosted a virtual Coffee & Conversation with Doncarlos James Blasingame, Assistant Director, and Dr. Catherine Camilletti, Deputy Assistant Director, Enterprise Threat-Mitigation Directorate, National Counterintelligence and Security Center, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and INSA Vice President for Policy Bishop Garrison.

Recording courtesy of host sponsor, SIMS Software!

The panelists opened by discussing the role of the Enterprise Threat-Mitigation Directorate. Mr. Blasingame said that the directorate’s mission is in the name – enterprise and threat mitigation – and that their work focuses on both the security world and the intelligence world, taking both a policy and a strategy perspective. Their portfolio includes examining legal threshold requirements, making sure that policy requirements are up to date, and sharing best practices for insider threat mitigation with partners in industry, government, and academia.

These best practices include seeking fostering a healthy work environment by seeking partnerships with human resources, wellness programs, diversity and equity programs, and cyber and information technology divisions. Mr. Blasingame emphasized that every part of an organization touches on insider threat mitigation. Dr. Camilletti noted that it is important to communicate workforce priorities, teach employees what to do if they are approached by an adversary or find themselves in a risky situation, and keep tabs on office morale during periods such as budget season or promotion season. 

In closing, Dr. Camiletti discussed how her background as a behavioral scientist guides her approach to understanding insider threat mitigation. She underscored the importance of thinking of individuals as people first in order to understand how their past experiences may shape their behavior.