Many people are concerned about the theft of sensitive information, and rightfully so. According to the 2016 Identity Fraud study by Javelin Strategy and Research, identity theft cost U.S. consumers $15 billion in 2015. Businesses also fall victim to identity theft, to the tune of $221 billion worldwide each year. But a more insidious data security problem is gaining...

In a previous post Why the IoT Needs IAM, Part 1: Rise of the Botnets, we discussed the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the enormous attack surface created by billions of Internet-connected devices. Many of these devices have been recruited into botnet armies that are used to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Others are...

Rather than simply stealing data, malicious actors are changing it to disrupt processes and cast doubt on information integrity. The threat extends to identity data and user credentials, which could be manipulated to gain physical access to secure facilities or logical access to sensitive data. In light of this threat, organizations are advised to rethink their identity and access...

In the Internet of Things (IoT), billions of connected objects quietly collect and transmit data and perform a wide range of functions, generally without human intervention. Imagine vending machines that tell you when they need to be replenished, vehicles that schedule their own maintenance, and “smart home” products that let you lock your doors, control your thermostat, and peek...

The risks associated with insider-threat theft and data breaches are well known. At the very least we ought to be aware of who is currently able to access our information resources and operational controls. We need to understand the risks to the enterprise if information or access falls into the wrong hands, or is corrupted in some way. Whatever...

At the end of every year, IT industry analysts and research firms try to predict which technology trends will have the greatest impact in the coming months. Some of the top picks for 2017 include artificial intelligence and machine learning, augmented and virtual reality, 3-D printing, Blockchain, and wearables. Meanwhile, cloud computing will continue to grow unabated, and billions...

Most people think of identity management as a tool for enhancing the security of systems, applications, networks, and data. By effectively managing user credentials, organizations can maintain strict control over access to IT resources and gain greater visibility into user behavior that could present a security threat. However, identity management can also play a role in strengthening physical security,...

Any organization that controls or processes data on consumers in the European Union (EU) will soon be required to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The new law, which goes into effect May 25, 2018, is expected to have a sweeping impact on the data protection and privacy practices of companies worldwide. Those organizations that aren’t fully...

In part 1 of our series on Using KPIs to Redefine IAM Success, we began talking about why identity management projects fail — or at least why they are perceived to have failed. In most instances, organizations adopt identity management solutions to reduce the risk of unauthorized access to systems and data. However, criteria such as operational complexity and...

So, you’ve just been breached. Now what? Many questions come to mind. Is the breach contained? Who was behind it? Were they internal or external? How did they get in? What did they get? Depending on your organization’s level of sophistication in response to such incidents, a number of processes, controls, and workflows will be initiated and checked. Some...