AFOSI highlights risks, prevention amid Insider Threat Awareness Month
Special Agent Pearl Mundt, Air Force Office of Special Investigations executive director, attended the 2024 National Insider Threat Awareness Month Conference on Sept. 9.
She joined leaders from the Department of Defense and the Federal Bureau of Investigations to discuss federal law enforcement's role in combating insider threats.
"Insider threats — including workplace violence, espionage, cyberattacks, and intellectual property theft — continue to pose a critical danger to our national security," said AFOSI's top civilian leader.
According to Mundt, AFOSI has been proactive in combating insider threats by embedding AFOSI personnel within the Department of the Air Force Counter-Insider Threat Hub at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas.
"Our representatives work daily alongside their security counterparts to detect, deter, and mitigate insider threats, ensuring the safety and integrity of our operations," she said.
Three-pillar approach
This year's NITAM theme is built on three pillars, "Deter, Detect, Mitigate," said Special Agent Sam Gross, AFOSI's Insider Threat branch chief. The monthlong observance puts a spotlight on the importance of early intervention, resilience and collaboration in protecting national security while maintaining the privacy and civil liberties of the workforce.
The campaign also focuses on the risks, whether intentional or unintentional, posed by individuals with access to sensitive information and resources, as well as case studies depicting major acts of workplace violence and unauthorized disclosures impacting equities across the DoD in recent years.
According to Gross, deterring, detecting and mitigating threats align with AFOSI's efforts to raise awareness and protect personnel, resources and national security information from insider threats.
The first pillar, deterrence, focuses on workforce engagement, resilience and mental health awareness, Gross said.
This step educates Department of the Air Force personnel on their requirement to report concerning behaviors to help keep their workplaces free from acts of targeted violence and safeguard classified information. It also promotes the free services available to DAF personnel to help manage stress and obtain confidential counseling
The second pillar, detection, involves leveraging all service members, civilians and contractors to be the 'eyes and ears' of the DAF by identifying behaviors that are indicative of the Critical Pathway to a hostile act, whether it be workplace violence or unauthorized disclosure of national defense information.
Gross added that the DAF also employs technical capabilities, such as User Activity Monitoring on the networks, to identify concerning behaviors before they escalate.
The final step, mitigation, happens when the agency employs mission partners and multidisciplinary teams to assess concerning behaviors and intervene to help a Person of Concern get off the Critical Pathway.
Key resources in these cases may include security, leadership, human resources, law enforcement, mental health practitioners and other stakeholders, Gross said.
"The goal is early identification and support, not always punishment, Gross said. "We're not just looking for malicious intent—sometimes we need to help people before their struggles lead to risky behavior that affects the DAF."
After all, he added, people are the military's greatest asset.
"People usually think insider threats only affect a small percentage of people in the military because they're aware of a few well-known espionage or workplace violence cases," he said. "But the truth is, it's much more than that. Insider threat behaviors can stem from personal struggles, like financial problems or disputes within the workplace. That's why there's such a need to help each other out before anything spirals out of control."
Caring for people
A big part of this year's Insider Threat Awareness campaign is also about creating a culture that supports fairness, resilience and open communication, Gross said.
According to the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), stress in the workplace has been identified as a key driver of insider threats, with 94% of American workers reporting stress and 63% considering quitting their jobs due to stress-related issues.
Additionally, perceived injustice in the workplace is a major contributor to risky behaviors, Gross said.
"When employees feel overwhelmed or perceive their workplace environment as unfair, they are far more likely to engage in behaviors that could compromise security," he said.
That is where leadership plays a crucial role in addressing these issues.
By offering flexibility when possible and promoting a culture of transparency — while discouraging bad behaviors and holding employees accountable — the likelihood of insider threat behaviors can be greatly reduced, Gross said.
According to DCSA officials, communication can often be the key to preventing grievances, hostile attitudes, low morale and mission readiness.
"And, when a servicemember or civilian doesn't know where to turn, they can always report their concerns to AFOSI," Gross said.
'See something, say something'
"It is incredibly important that when members of the base populace see something concerning, they report it to the appropriate authorities," Mundt said. "We rely on each member of the Department of the Air Force to be an extension of our eyes and ears to protect our people and mission."
For those unsure where to report insider threat concerns, the OSI tipline provides a safe, discreet and anonymous way to share information with AFOSI.
The same platform is also used by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Army Criminal Investigation Division, which makes it easier for DoD personnel and servicemembers to submit reports for sharing across the enterprise.
