In this post-pandemic world, access and identity management system is a pressing concern for business owners. Cyberattacks are on the rise as everyone transitions to remote working, so it’s more important than ever to be proactive in safeguarding your company’s data – from employee information to employing good digital identity management such as multi-factor authentication (MFA). As online risks continue unabated, now is the time to take steps towards protecting yourself and your organization.
The absolute necessity for enhanced data security
In our modern-day, technology-driven world, data security is more fundamental than ever. To truly appreciate the magnitude of its necessity in today’s society, it is essential we take a step back and really reflect on the current condition of our digital landscape.
Bearing in mind the most recent events, let’s look at a handful of current statistics and stories. SolarWinds – a renowned Texas tech company – suffered a major data breach which resulted in 18,000 government and business entities having their confidential information stolen.
Just as the world was imposed with stifling shutdowns due to COVID-19, a treacherous attack occurred. Consequently, an influx of individuals began working remotely, and government initiatives provided unemployment assistance for those unable to do so.
The need for IAM solutions has caused a drastic rise in digital threats. Numerous pandemic relief dollars have been diverted away from their original recipients due to identity fraud. Additionally, the accelerated shift to remote work has attracted cybercriminals and resulted in an alarming increase in phishing attempts and ransomware attacks.
Then, the Colonial Pipeline debacle of 2021 was a stark reminder to us all: security vulnerabilities can be caused by something as simple and easily-preventable as an inadequate password. In April, hackers forced the pipeline into shutdown mode with the demand of a $5 million Bitcoin payment for its return – this episode captured national attention and further highlighted how crucial strong passwords are when it comes to protecting our data.
Multi-factor authentication is the key to good digital ID management
Employee access is one of the essential portals to a company’s data, largely due to two important aspects.
Primarily, the data that workers generate is often one of a company’s most valuable digital assets. Including sensitive information such as bank accounts, social security numbers and basic personal details like home addresses and telephone numbers can be dangerously misused by wrongdoers if not secured properly.
Unfortunately, employees’ personal details are even more vulnerable than other aspects of a company’s data. That is because they often log onto the organization’s systems from their own computers and locations away from the office. This makes them particularly susceptible to unwanted breaches in security.
This opens a myriad of “gateways” or “loopholes” for malicious hackers to exploit. As demonstrated in the Colonial Pipeline hack, too, unfortunately, all it took was one incorrect password on an account to rupture the entire system.
The need for proactive digital ID management is a risk we cannot ignore. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) provides the answer.
We can define MFA as a fusion of two factors. The first is your username and password, data that must be memorized to access essential details but can become compromised if revealed to an unauthorized person.
To complete MFA, you need to provide something else other than a piece of information. This could range from a simple password associated with your personal cellphone or another physical device to more secure measures such as fingerprint and iris scans in high-level security cases.
MFA is designed to secure your information by combining the common use of usernames and passwords with extra layers of authentication. This makes it incredibly difficult for malicious actors to gain access, as they must pass through an expansive selection of unique identity checks in order to acquire data. By utilizing multiple distinct layers of verification, MFA can drastically complicate the process!
With Multi-Factor Authentication, users can now benefit from a secure and uncomplicated login process. It is an adaptable solution that will continue to evolve over time in order to provide the best possible user experience.
In addition to MFA, another thing to watch for in digital ID management is mobile app shielding. With employees increasingly accessing company data and systems through their mobile devices, it is crucial to ensure that these apps are secure and protected from potential cyberattacks. Mobile app shielding involves adding extra layers of security to mobile apps, such as encryption and code obfuscation, to make it more difficult for hackers to access sensitive data. By combining multi-factor authentication with mobile app shielding, companies can provide a comprehensive and robust security system to safeguard their employees’ personal information and protect against potential breaches.
Fortify employee data security with ID management
Our rapidly advancing technological world is ever-evolving, and as a result, we need security solutions that are dynamic enough to endure preliminary hacks without crumbling. The only way to ensure the safety of our data is by utilizing adaptive systems to combat intrusions from malicious actors.
Regrettably, there is no silver bullet when it comes to this issue. Leaders cannot simply identify a quick fix that will make the problem go away without any effort. There isn’t some magical solution or somebody who can be paid off to rid of this difficulty forever.
Leaders must seek out IAM companies that use MFA to remain on the cutting edge. The outcome is strong digital ID management, ensuring employee data security while constructing a secure base for company-wide cyber defense, even in an ever-changing work environment.