The Trends in Security Digital Identities report from the Identity Defined Security Alliance (IDSA) ... [+]getty
Identity is at the core of cybersecurity. Digital identities, such as usernames and passwords, are used to authenticate users and grant access to data and resources. There are other ways for threat actors to get the job done but stealing or compromising a valid identity is often the path of least resistance. The importance of identity security cannot be overstated, as a breach in identity security can have severe consequences for both individuals and organizations.
The explosion of digital identities is just one facet of the larger issue of a vast and expanding attack surface. However, a rise in phishing attacks, the continued growth of cloud computing and SaaS (software-as-a-service) application adoption, and the dramatic shift to remote and work-from-home business models that require workers, contractors, and employees to access network resources securely across the internet, the role of identity security is heightened.
About the IDSA
The Identity Defined Security Alliance (IDSA) is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to promoting best practices in identity security. The organization's mission is to provide education and resources to help organizations protect their digital identities and secure their systems and data.
There are a variety of white papers, case studies, and other valuable assets available on the IDSA website. The organization released its 2022 Trends in Security Digital Identities report last summer, which provides key insights and useful guidance to help organizations implement effective identity security.
Trends in Securing Digital Identities
The introduction to the report explains, "Many identity stakeholders have responded by prioritizing identity in the past year. For forward-thinking enterprises, identity is not simply the subject of discussions within the human resources department or the help desk team. It is a critical consideration in security planning as well. With identity-related breaches remaining a continual threat, the business impact of handling identity correctly—and incorrectly—has never been more clear."
The report—based on feedback from a survey of over 500 enterprise organizations with 1000 employees or more—found that 84% of organizations experienced an identity-related breach in the prior year. This is a significant increase from the 79% reported in the previous two years, highlighting the growing threat of identity-related breaches.
As Julie Smith, Executive Director of IDSA, shared on the TechSpective Podcast, "I think the headline, if you were to give it one, is that identity-related breaches continue to happen. And they do impact organizations in pretty significant ways. But there's investments being made. And that's maybe where this could help inform organizations on what they should be doing in the next year, and executive leadership support seems to be making a difference."
The report also found that 96% of the organizations surveyed felt that the breach could have been prevented if they had focused on the right security measures. In other words, with more effective identity security in place, it could have been avoided. This highlights the importance of investing in identity security and implementing best practices to protect digital identities.
Insights and Guidance
One of the primary recommendations by the IDSA is multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA adds an additional layer of security by requiring users to provide two or more forms of identification, such as a password and a fingerprint, before they can access sensitive information and systems. The report found that organizations that implement MFA solutions are less likely to experience identity-related breaches.
Another important aspect of identity security is incident response planning. The IDSA's report found that organizations that have a well-defined incident response plan in place are better able to contain and mitigate the effects of a breach. This includes having policies and procedures in place for identifying and responding to breaches, as well as having the necessary technologies in place to detect and prevent breaches.
The IDSA report also highlights the importance of employee education and awareness. According to the survey responses, organizations that provide regular training to their employees on identity security are better able to protect their digital identities and respond to breaches.
In conclusion, the IDSA's 2022 Trends in Securing Digital Identities report provides valuable insights into the state of identity security in organizations. The report highlights the growing threat of identity-related breaches and the importance of investing in identity security and implementing best practices to protect digital identities. Multi-factor authentication, incident response planning, and employee education and awareness are key measures recommended by the IDSA to protect digital identities and prevent breaches.
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