As the Middle East accelerates its digital transformation, businesses are waking up to a costly reality: the greatest cyber risk often comes from within. While sophisticated external threats dominate headlines, insider threats, intentional or accidental actions by trusted employees or partners, are now among the region’s most persistent and expensive cybersecurity challenges.

When Digital Growth Meets Human Risk

The global cost of insider threats continues to rise. According to the 2025 Ponemon Cost of Insider Risks Global Report, insider risks now cost organizations an average of $17.4 million annually, up from $16.2 million in 2023. And 55% of these incidents are caused by simple negligence or mistakes, proof that even well-intentioned employees can become gateways for costly breaches. On the other hand, malicious insiders account for 25% of incidents, while credential theft or ‘outsmarted insiders’ add another 20%. These silent risks are harder to detect and more expensive to resolve the longer they remain hidden. Companies spend $18.7 million if an incident takes over 91 days to contain, compared to $10.6 million when caught early. However, recent data shows a great sign of progress. Containment times are improving, down to an average of 81 days per incident.

As businesses continue to modernize their operations, the human factor has emerged as the weakest link in even the most advanced security systems, an issue made more urgent as governments across the Middle East implement ambitious digital agendas.

Insider Threats: A Hidden Cost for Middle East Businesses

Middle East companies report some of the highest insider incident frequencies globally. These incidents are largely driven by negligence or accidental errors. According to the Ponemon report, the average number of incidents related to negligent or mistaken insiders is set at 14.9  per organization, higher than the average in other regions, including the US, Europe, and Asia. This showcases that human error is the major source of exposure.

While negligence tops the list, malicious insiders and credential theft still pose significant risks for Middle East organizations, supporting the urgent need for comprehensive insider risk programs. The overall cost of dealing with insider threats now reaches an average of $14.1 million annually for organizations across Africa and the Middle East.

From the public sector to financial services, organizations across the region remain exposed to hidden costs: downtime, reputational damage, regulatory fines, and loss of trust.

Are Organizations Ready to Prevent Insider Threats?

To address this escalating issue, organizations are now shifting from reactive detection to proactive deterrence. Notably, 81% of organizations now have or plan to implement dedicated insider risk programs, up from 77% last year. And, budgets for insider risk management have more than doubled, making up 16.5% of total IT security spend.

Practical measures such as screen watermarking, continuous monitoring, and AI-powered behavior analytics are helping organizations protect sensitive data while fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness within their workforce.

As the region’s digital economy grows, the message is clear: proactive, people-focused security will define who stays resilient and who pays the price when trust breaks down.