Implementing identity security best practices is essential in today’s fast moving business world.
During the third quarter of 2022 alone, approximately 15 million data records were exposed worldwide through data breaches. This alarming figure is an increase of 37 percent when compared to the previous quarter. (Source: Statista) Driving this upward trend is the trend for employees to work remotely and share data through multiple touch points..
Developing an identity security strategy is a key first step to ensuring your organization is more secure, more efficient, saving money and not bogged down with the frustrations caused by ineffective practices and policies.
Preventing and mitigating data breaches is a 24/7, year-round effort. We’ve identified a few best practices to help you proactively implement identity security best practices at your company.
Perform a Security Risk Assessment
A security risk assessment involves evaluating your IT systems and critical networks to pinpoint areas of risk. After the assessment, your results may include everything from poor employee password practices to faulty firewalls.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
No system is one hundred percent safe from attempted cyber attacks, but enforcing MFA, especially if the system interacts with third parties, can be a major line of defense. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is an IT authentication technique that requires a user to present at least two factors that prove their identity. It makes it difficult for cyber criminals to guess, steal, and compromise your passwords.
Set up a Firewall
Put up a barrier between your organization’s network and attackers. Firewalls help you filter malicious content and activity flowing to and from your network.
Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A VPN adds another layer of security to your network by giving remote employees access to internal applications and data through an encrypted connection. This internet security service ensures data shared between devices and servers is more secure.
Monitor Online Security Measures
Your technology manager should monitor new issues or updates regarding online security. Check with the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov for recommended resources about technology updates.
Protecting customer and employee personal information from cyber hackers is a critical part of identity security.
