Imagine The Enemy Within

"O villain, villain, smiling, damnèd villain!

My tables—meet it is I set it down
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain—
At least I am sure it may be so in Denmark."

- Hamlet Act 1, scene 5, 105–109

It may seem hard to imagine, but a trusted employee or colleague (and not just those found in Denmark, Mr. Shakespeare) might secretly be acting against you or your organization:

"Workers who sabotage corporate systems are almost always IT workers who exhibit specific negative office behavior..."

In a 2006 study, the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University notes several psychological factors that may motivate "Insider Spies and Saboteurs:"

• Extreme sensitivity to criticism
• Unusual needs for attention
• Chronic frustration and feeling unappreciated
• Difficulties controlling anger with bursts of inappropriate temper
• Chronic sense of victimization or mistreatment
• Chronic grudges against others
• Belief, and conduct, reflecting the sense that the insider is above the rules applicable to others due to special characteristics or suffering
• Chronic interpersonal problems and conflicts (including physical conflicts) such that the insider is avoided by others or they “walk on eggshells” around him or her
• Compensatory behaviors reflecting underlying self-esteem problems such as bragging, bullying, spending on fantasy-related items
• Chronic difficulties dealing with life challenges indicating an inability to realistically assess his or her strengths, limitations, resources—overspending, overestimating his abilities and underestimating others, attempting to gain positions for which he or she clearly lacks training or qualifications
• Use of compartmentalization such that the insider has no problems living with contradictions between his maladaptive behavior and espoused beliefs (an allegedly religious individual who cheats on his wife or expenses)
• Lack of inhibitory capabilities such as a conscience, impulse control, empathy for others, comprehension of the impact of actions on others, or any regard for the feelings of others such that the insider is chronically offending or exploiting those around him or her 

Their report on the subject offers several telltale behavioral markers that may indicate the presence of the problem in your organization:

• Bullying
• Chronic insecurity
• Intimidation of others
• Refusal to conform to rules
• Chronic complaining
• Chronic disregard for, and manipulation of, the office policies and practices
• Threatening the life of those opposing him
• Stealing items from work
• Admitted theft of computer equipment
• Access from a new employer’s system without displaying remorse
• Withholding of information from team members
• Intimidation of team members to the extent they were fearful for their safety

Followers of this blog might recognize some overlap with the characteristics of the passive-aggressive worker and organization.

Of course, while they may not be very productive, "disgruntled employees" usually aren't maliciously so, and they rarely commit outright bad acts of espionage and sabotage.

Just the same, the Sofware Engineering Institute's report (you'll find it here)  certainly highlights the importance of keeping your privileged passwords secure.