The chapter discusses unique insider threats to state and local government institutions. This includes organizations, such as mass transit, utilities, and licensing agencies. State and local governments are frequent victims of insiders. The chapter provides a number of case studies to explain their subsequent effect at the local and state level. Corruption within state and local government does happen and on a consistent basis. On an average, 249 states and local officials are charged with corruption each year, 206 are prosecuted, and 92 await trial. Potential threats are categorized as a loss of safety and/or loss of property. Sometimes the threat of sabotage can be almost as damaging as the act itself. At the home or office, possible threats include first responders, water, electricity, natural gas, telephone, and Internet service. Away from the home or office, threats include traffic control systems, mass transit, voting safety, and licensing organizations. The difference between prevention and deterrence is that the first removes the vulnerability, whereas the latter attempts to convince the individual from not exploiting it. Whenever possible, always prevent and use deterrence as a last resort or as an additional layer of security.

The Web browser saves vital information that can be used to one's advantage. Web browsing has defined the Internet experience for many users. A browser is the only portal and interface to the Internet for most people. Exploiting Web browsing can yield a wealth of information, including Web mail, online accounts, lists of visited sites, and other multimedia information. Internet Explorer is currently the most popular browser for Microsoft Windows users. It leaves lots of information on the disk about where it has been and what it has been used for. Like Internet Explorer, most other browsers have the same few fundamental components, bookmarks, cookies, and caches, all of which give valuable clues to what one's target does online. Tools like WinSpy allow for easy aggregation of Web browsing information that is left behind on the computer. OWNS and Snort combined make an effective system for monitoring and analyzing Web traffic. The information collected from Web browsers, both on the computer and from the network, is an important piece of the puzzle to obtaining total information awareness of one's target.