# Federal Agencies Mature Insider Threat Programs

Federal agencies face challenges maturing insider threat programs as reported annual incident costs rise from about $16.2 million to $17.4 million. Ontic executive Tim Kirkham recommends assigning dedicated program ownership, reviewing existing people and technology, demonstrating measurable early results, and integrating data systems. The signal identifies no solicitation, contract award, or procurement contact, so it describes a program-development trend rather than a current buying opportunity.

- Procurement teams can use the recommended reviews and measurable early results to assess gaps in existing capabilities before defining future requirements.
- Contractors providing threat-management or related technology can emphasize how their offerings support integrated data and measurable program outcomes; the signal does not identify a specific procurement or vendor selection.
- The reported cost increase underscores the operational stakes for agencies, while Kirkham’s emphasis on root-cause analysis points to metrics as a way to support and mature programs.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Information Technology, Public Safety
**Topics:** Cybersecurity
**Published:** November 04, 2026

### Government Entities
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Supreme Court of the United States
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

### Vendors
- Ontic ()

### Key Quotes
> It’s that root cause analysis that allows you to continue to mature your program, that is then going to give you the trending metrics that you need to support your program.
> — Tim Kirkham, Vice President of the Investigations Practice at Ontic

### Sources
- [
        Ontic’s Tim Kirkham on maturing insider threat programs - Federal News Network](https://federalnewsnetwork.com/management/2026/11/ontics-tim-kirkham-on-maturing-insider-threat-programs) - Federal News Network