Recently two former federal agents were accused of using their positions to siphon more than $1 million worth of the digital currency Bitcoin from Silk Road, a website used to illegally purchase drugs. The agents were both part of the 2013 investigation into Silk Road, and ended up using information gathered from their work to move money into private bank accounts. 

This incident is a warning to all businesses — not all threats come from those you might expect or even from the outside. The best business continuity consultants understand that many issues that affect a business start internally, from data breaches to thefts. Whether the perpetrator is an angry employee or the episode is merely an honest mistake, it pays to be prepared for all occurrences, external and internal. 

It is important to keep track of employees, their on-site activities and their emotional states. While this job tends to be a part of human resources in most companies, business continuity professionals should be kept aware of this information. Is an employee particularly unhappy with their job? Does their physical and verbal behavior, or online activity suggest that they might attempt to retaliate against their employer? A strong business continuity plan should address how to decrease the potential impact of unhappy employees. 

Other business continuity issues may arise from technology or equipment. With increased automation it is important to make sure that security measures are in place and processes are being monitored to be certain that nothing is going wrong. Business continuity professionals should evaluate automated systems to ensure that protections are in place. 

While outside threats are a valid concern for any organization, it is important to remember that they are not the only source of problems.