Current geopolitical tensions are putting pressure on the internal security of European organisations

84% of European high-risk profile organisations do not feel well equipped to detect and handle insider incidents, according to the Insider Risk Trend Report 2026 published today by insider risk advisory firm Signpost Six.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- European organisations are under increasing pressure from geopolitical developments but seem to pay insufficient attention to security risks that arise from within. Insider risk - the risk of espionage, sabotage or strategic influence by one's own employees, contractors or suppliers - has become a structural vulnerability.

According to the report, insider risk is no longer incidental, but a fundamental risk in a world where geopolitical conflicts are increasingly fought through economic, technological and social channels. State actors, criminal networks and activist movements are increasingly focusing on the human factor for destabilisation. Working with insiders who already have access to systems, knowledge, and decision-making is often more effective and less visible than classic cyberattacks or physical sabotage.

Signpost Six mentions several geopolitical developments that significantly increase insider risk. The first is the rise of hybrid warfare, in which states increasingly show their rivalry outside the classic military domain. Commercial organisations, from critical infrastructure to technology companies and logistics hubs, are therefore increasingly targeted by espionage and sabotage. "State actors and organised criminal networks are increasingly targeting employees within organisations. Their direct access to locations, people and sensitive information make them an attractive and effective target," says Dennis Bijker, CEO of Signpost Six.

At the same time, state actors are increasingly using criminal networks as proxies to carry out operations with minimal traceability. Employees are increasingly pressured through extreme methods, such as financial temptations, threats and blackmail.

In addition, the globalisation of supply chains has increased the vulnerability of organisations. Access to critical systems and processes increasingly lies with third parties operating under different legal and political regimes. Geopolitical tensions can therefore have a direct impact on daily operations.

The current context makes it clear that technical and physical security alone are no longer sufficient. Organisational resilience requires explicit risk ownership at the administrative level and intensive cooperation between HR, security, risk management and legal departments. Geopolitics no longer takes place exclusively outside the organisation, but also within its walls. When these developments are ignored, employees run the risk of being unintentionally targeted.

Report: https://www.signpostsix.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Insider-Trend-Report-2026-Signpost-Six-PR-Version.pdf

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