Why managing and securing digital identities is a must

In this video for Help Net Security, Julie Smith, Executive Director of the Identity Defined Security Alliance (IDSA), talks about how IDSA and National Cybersecurity Alliance partnered to create Identity Management Day. This first began last year in 2021, and is taking place today, April 12.

Identity Management Day was created to spread awareness and educate business leaders, IT decision makers, and the general public about the importance of managing and securing digital identities.

Not only have we seen a rise in the sheer number of threats, but the complexity of such attacks is increasing at an alarming rate. As the general public takes on a more intricate digital life, the way the security industry approaches protecting its assets is shifting.

For one, in the last decade, the challenge has shifted from protecting the perimeter to protecting identities and the resources they access. A dynamic digital environment with more devices, applications and endpoints means a dissolving perimeter that can be exploited more easily when protected by traditional solutions.

We are seeing more attacks originating from the use of legitimate credentials to breach an organization. In fact, 79% of organizations reported a breach in the last two years that can be traced back to a compromised identity.

If organizations are lacking a healthy, diverse team of security analysts, they risk falling behind in what can look like a choppy game of whack-a-mole. Without talent that can think critically and stay on their toes, organizations simply can’t compete with their adversaries.

The goal of Identity Management Day is to raise awareness, share best practices, and inspire individuals and organizations of all sizes to act, so that failure to implement basic identity management best practices doesn’t result in the next headline breach.