TLDR: Exabeam’s latest report, “From Human to Hybrid,” reveals that AI is significantly intensifying insider threats, making them a greater concern than external attacks for 64% of cybersecurity professionals. The study highlights a measurable increase in insider incidents and points to generative AI as a key driver for faster, stealthier attacks, despite widespread AI adoption in security tooling.
Exabeam, a leader in security analytics, has released its multinational 2025 report, “From Human to Hybrid: How AI and the Analytics Gap Are Fueling Insider Risk,” based on a survey of 1,010 cybersecurity professionals across various sectors. The findings indicate a critical shift in the threat landscape, with insider threats now surpassing external attacks as the primary security concern.
The report reveals that a significant 64% of respondents perceive insiders, whether malicious or compromised, as a greater risk than external actors. This escalating threat is largely attributed to the pervasive influence of artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI (GenAI), which is making attacks faster, stealthier, and considerably more challenging to detect.
Steve Wilson, Chief AI and Product Officer at Exabeam, emphasized the evolving nature of insider threats, stating, “Insiders aren’t just people anymore. They’re AI agents logging in with valid credentials, spoofing trusted voices, and making moves at machine speed. The question isn’t just who has access – it’s whether you can spot when that access is being abused.”
The growth of insider activity shows no signs of abating, with over half of organizations (53%) experiencing a measurable increase in insider incidents over the past year. A majority (54%) anticipate this growth to continue. Government organizations are bracing for the steepest rise at 73%, followed by manufacturing at 60%, and healthcare at 53%, driven by expanding access to sensitive systems and data.
Regional variations underscore the complexity of this landscape. Asia-Pacific and Japan lead in projected insider threat growth at 69%, reflecting heightened awareness of identity-driven attacks. Conversely, the Middle East stands apart, with nearly one-third (30%) anticipating a decrease, which could signal either stronger confidence in current defenses or a potential underestimation of evolving risks.
AI has emerged as a potent force multiplier for insider threats, enabling actors to operate with unprecedented efficiency and subtlety. Two of the top three current insider threat vectors are now AI-related, with AI-enhanced phishing and social engineering identified as the most concerning tactics, accounting for 27% of threats. These sophisticated attacks can adapt in real-time, mimic legitimate communications, and exploit trust at a scale and speed that human adversaries cannot match.
Despite widespread AI adoption, with 97% of organizations utilizing some form of AI in their insider threat tooling, governance and operational readiness are lagging. A notable perception gap exists, where more than half of executives believe AI tools are fully deployed, while managers and analysts report many are still in pilot or evaluation stages. Furthermore, only 44% of organizations currently employ User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA), a foundational capability for effective insider threat detection.
Also Read:
- Generative AI’s Rapid Rise Fuels Data Security Anxieties, Thales Report Reveals
- Enterprise Security Faces New Challenges as AI Integrates with Apple Macs at Work
Kevin Kirkwood, CISO at Exabeam, highlighted this challenge: “AI has added a layer of speed and subtlety to insider activity that traditional defenses weren’t built to detect. Security teams are deploying AI to detect these evolving threats, but without strong governance or clear oversight, it’s a race they’re struggling to win.” The report underscores the urgent need for robust defense strategies that align with regional realities and bridge the gap between AI deployment and effective operational oversight.
