The need for a robust identity security and access management (IAM) strategy is one of the central concerns of securing enterprise IT.
Strong identity solutions can help firms boost their productivity by streamlining user access in addition to strengthening the overall security of the organization.
But with identity theft steadily on the rise in recent years, resulting in billions in losses to companies, the challenge to network managers of maintaining identity security has only increased. Network managers are on the lookout for solutions that will achieve the sound levels of security that they need while giving employees a workable platform.
Walking a Fine Line
Organizations face a unique challenge. The threats to identity security are diverse. Finding a solution that will address each one is difficult in and of itself. Trying to incorporate efficient user experience (UX) into such a multifaceted solution, may seem nearly impossible. Security teams in charge of authentication must walk a fine line: ensuring that the organization is secure from unauthorized users while keeping legitimate access to the network flowing smoothly.
“The use of passwords as a tool for authenticating and protecting users is well understood as a dubious endeavor. They are a major security risk. No matter the level of encryption applied to them, passwords can and are frequently broken through phishing attacks, brute force, malware or a myriad host of other tactics” Raluca Ada Popa Founder And Chief Technology Officer at Preveil
The Multiplying Challenges
Trends in computing have multiplied the challenges faced by organizations to keep identity security robust.
While technology has allowed firms to grow their talent base beyond geographic boundaries, the growth of mobile computing means that IT teams have less visibility into, and control over, employees’ work practices. Those in charge of maintaining network security are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain consistent and uniform security procedures.
With the growth of cloud-based and Software as a Service (SaaS) applications, users now have the power to log in to critical business apps remotely. Programs like Salesforce, Office365, Concur, are now accessible from any location, any time, and most importantly, from any device. The move to the cloud has dramatically increased the number of access points to a system, which in turn translate into more potential weaknesses for hackers to capitalize on. A recent study by cloud security researchers demonstrated that bad practices on cloud applications have led to compromised accounts in over 35 percent of all firms.
The Password Factor
The usage of passwords as a primary authentication tool is the single biggest threat to identity security.
A myriad of security threats arises from basing a systems security on password authentication.
First off, in the hands of users, passwords are a vulnerability, as they are something that a user can lose or leak to an adversary. Passwords can be compromised in a variety of ways, from phishing scams to careless storage on the part of employees. The ever-growing disconnectedness of personnel within large corporations has given rise to the phenomenon of hackers extracting passwords through company IT workers via social engineering.
The very real threat of compromised passwords was brought to the fore recently when cyber researchers discovered a massive file containing over 1 billion stolen passwords on a Dark Web forum, the largest such database to be found in the cyber-underground to date.
Tightening All the Loose Ends
The unique authentication solution of Secret Double Octopus offers the industry a new paradigm in identity security, one that circumvents all the weaknesses associated with the current model.
The innovative Octopus Authenticator which allows for password-free authentication provides a dual benefit for identity security strategy.
First and foremost is improved security. No password mechanism means more protection, not less, as users are no longer required to protect these vital pieces of information.
The unique Single Sign-on (SSO) solution allows users to access their full range of tools and applications through the same authentication methods, from any location, all while staying security compliant.
Additionally, Octopus Authenticator technology means that users can engage with the strongest methods of authentication without having to remember and periodically switch passwords, making the process of authentication easy and seamless.