What type of attack is characterized by an employee manipulating internal systems to harm the organization?

An internal attack is characterized by actions taken by individuals within an organization, often employees or contractors, who exploit their access to the organization’s systems and data to cause harm. This can involve various malicious activities, such as sabotage, data theft, or manipulation of records. Internal attacks are particularly concerning because the perpetrators typically have authorized access and a deeper understanding of the organization's infrastructure, making them harder to detect compared to external threats.

This type of attack can lead to significant damage, both financially and reputationally, as the insider may carry out their actions without raising immediate suspicion. The familiarity of the attacker with internal systems can lead to sophisticated and targeted damage that might not be possible through external means.

While external attacks are perpetrated by individuals or groups outside the organization, and denial of service attacks aim to disrupt services, and phishing attacks trick users into revealing sensitive information, these do not involve manipulation from within. Thus, the internal attack option accurately encompasses the scenario where an employee maliciously exploits internal systems.