Which of the following refers to someone who can act as a threat due to their knowledge and position within a company?

The term that best describes someone who poses a risk due to their insider knowledge and position within a company is a malicious insider. A malicious insider is typically an employee or contractor who has access to sensitive information or systems and who knowingly exploits that access for harmful purposes. This can include stealing data, sabotaging operations, or leaking confidential information.

Understanding this concept is crucial in counterintelligence, as these individuals can often bypass traditional security measures simply by virtue of their role within the organization. Their knowledge makes them particularly dangerous because they can understand the vulnerabilities in the company’s systems and processes, using this knowledge to their advantage.

In contrast, a subject matter expert is an individual who possesses extensive knowledge in a specific area, but not necessarily with malicious intent. Government reports typically do not refer to individuals and are often focused on broader trends or activities rather than specific threats. Phishing is a technique used by attackers to deceive individuals into divulging sensitive information, but again, it does not characterize individuals with insider access.