About the National Insider Threat Awareness Month (NITAM)

About

Effective 2023, the Insider Threat Virtual Conference has been renamed the DCSA Conference for Insider Threat.

First held in 2019, NITAM is an annual, month-long campaign during September that brings together thousands of U.S. security professionals and policy makers from government and industry, located in 25 countries around the globe, to educate government and industry about the risks posed by insider threats and the role of insider threat programs.

The Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security (USD(I&S)), the National Insider Threat Task Force, and the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) partner together with other stakeholder organizations to build off previous successes and expand the impact and audience of the NITAM campaign each year. Organizations that participate in the campaign increase awareness and promote reporting of insider threats (InTs) across their workforces.

The month-long campaign kicks off with an Insider Threat Conference.

Official photograph of DCSA Dircetor, David M. Cattler

Read the message from Defense Counterintelligence and Security Awareness Director David M. Cattler

View the 2024 DCSA Endorsement

September 3, 2024

Colleagues:

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency is partnering with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, the National Insider Threat Task Force, and insider threat community stakeholders to support the sixth annual National Insider Threat Awareness Month (NITAM) during September 2024. NITAM emphasizes the importance of safeguarding our nation by detecting, deterring, and mitigating insider threats.

This year's theme - Deter, Detect, Mitigate - is designed to educate the workforce on threats posed by trusted insiders, increase employee awareness of vulnerabilities, and emphasize individual responsibilities for recognizing and reporting insider threat indicators.

Proactive reporting can help prevent insider threat incidents and minimize or eliminate potential impacts. Insider threat adverse impacts may cause financial instability, resource degradation, reduced military strength and mission readiness, harm to national security, potential injury to personnel, and even loss of life. Reporting concerning behaviors and risk indicators as soon as possible enables us to be proactive and achieve positive outcomes-both for individuals and our agency.

We are the first line of defense. We must be vigilant, situationally aware, and attuned to behaviors that require reporting.,

Throughout September, organizations across the Department will participate in NITAM activities to reinforce the importance of detecting, deterring, and mitigating insider threats. Insider threat resources, training products, and events are posted on the NITAM 2024 website at https://securityawareness.usalearning.gov/cdse/nitam/index.html.

One of the events I'd like to highlight is DCSA's NITAM Conference, which will be held September 9-10 in Arlington, Virginia. Virtual participation is still open, and I encourage you to take advantage of this valuable opportunity to enhance your insider threat knowledge. You can register to attend virtually at https://dcsa.acms.com/nitamconference2024/event/registration.html.

Regardless of how you choose to participate in NITAM 2024, please know that your actions and contributions support our collective effort to identify and mitigate insider threats to our national security. Thank you for your dedication and continued hard work.

Sincerely,

Signature of DCSA Director David M. Cattler
David M. Cattler
Director, Defense Counterintelligence Security Agency

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