The morning shift began as always. A contractor logged into the control system, authorised to perform routine maintenance. Hours later, a compressor shut down unexpectedly, followed by cascading alarms across the rig. Production stalled, and the incident report pointed to human error. But deeper analysis revealed the truth. The contractor had accessed systems far beyond their task, altering configurations and leaving behind hidden accounts. This was no accident. It was an insider threat that had slipped past every perimeter defence.
Oil & Gas
In Oil and Gas, most security investment is aimed outward. Firewalls, intrusion detection, and monitoring all assume the attacker is on the outside. Yet some of the most devastating breaches come from within.
Insiders already have the keys. Contractors, vendors, and even trusted employees often have privileged access to SCADA and OT systems. With that access, they can disrupt operations, exfiltrate data, or prepare sabotage that looks like simple error.
Executives see the damage in terms of contracts, investor confidence, and public trust. Technical staff see the challenge of securing systems that depend on dozens of external suppliers and rotating contractors. Both face the same blind spot: the assumption that trust equals safety.
Insiders know where systems are weak and how to exploit them without raising alarms.
A single insider incident can halt operations, costing millions per day.
The revelation that an insider caused disruption undermines leadership credibility.
Failure to control and monitor insider access can be viewed as negligence by regulators.
Insider threats are not exceptions
In a connected industry where vendors and contractors keep systems running, insider threats are not exceptions, they are inevitabilities. The question is not whether insiders pose a risk, but whether organisations are prepared to detect and contain them.
Boards cannot afford to face investors with vague stories of human error. Engineers cannot afford to maintain systems without knowing who is inside and why. The future of resilience lies in treating trust as something that must be verified, not assumed.
At Alexsta, we design insider threat strategies that combine technical controls with executive clarity. We ensure boards understand the financial and reputational stakes, while technical teams gain the tools to prevent misuse of access.
Access audits of SCADA and OT environments to identify over-privileged accounts. Behavioural analysis of user activity to spot anomalies early. Vendor and contractor risk assessments to evaluate external dependencies.
Implementation of least privilege principles across critical systems. Deployment of monitoring tools tuned to insider behaviours, not just external intrusions. Segmentation and logging to ensure every action can be traced and verified.
Incident playbooks specific to insider threats, ensuring rapid containment without halting production. Forensic investigations that distinguish human error from deliberate sabotage. Regulator-ready reporting that demonstrates proactive management of insider risks.
The next breach in Oil and Gas may not come from a distant attacker. It may come from a trusted contractor with a badge, a login, and quiet intent.
Investors will not excuse failures labelled as human error if the truth is insider sabotage. Regulators will not overlook the absence of controls on privileged access. Partners will not trust systems run on blind faith.
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