Addressing the identity verification gap

Over 80 percent of data breaches reported since the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown have been due to stolen or brute-forced credentials, according to a Verizon Business study. The rushed adoption of SaaS solutions by many organizations without due consideration of security controls has contributed substantially to this.

While these facts paint a scary picture of data breaches since the pandemic began, poor password practices and the security incidents that result from them have been prevalent long before COVID-19. It's high time organizations bridge the identity verification gap caused by a lack of vigilance.

Analyzing current trends in cyberattacks

Passwords are still the go-to option for authentication, due to familiarity and ease of use. However, passwords are not enough to secure IT resources, as even the strongest password can be inadvertently exposed to hackers.

In a credential stuffing attack, hackers use hundreds of credentials obtained from previous data breaches to attempt to access password-protected resources. They automate the login requests and are able to try numerous possible combinations within a limited time. Phishing attacks involve tricking the user into sharing their credentials using illegitimate emails or links.

Neither of these attacks can be prevented using passwords alone, no matter how complex they are. On top of this, password attacks like brute-force attacks are easy to carry out and are still fairly successful. This highlights that organizations need to take their identity verification methods seriously.

Size doesn't matter

A common belief among small and medium-sized businesses is that they are not worthy targets for password attacks, as they don't have much to offer. But this can't be any further from the truth. A Ponemon Institute report stated that 70 percent of employees working in small and medium-sized businesses had their passwords lost or stolen in 2019. This means that irrespective of the size or sector of your organization, IT security is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed.

Protect your organization with ADSelfService Plus

ADSelfService Plus is an integrated Active Directory self-service password management and single sign-on solution that can render your organization immune to most security attacks including phishing and credential stuffing attacks.

• Multi-factor authentication: Secure machine logon, application logon, and VPN logon with over 15 authentication methods that can be configured in minutes, preventing credential stuffing and password spraying attacks.
• Password policy enforcer: Ensure strong passwords that are equipped to fight dictionary attacks, brute-force attacks, and other password threats. This ensures that chances of a successful common password attack are nipped at the bud.
• Single sign-on: Implement single sign-on for over a hundred major enterprise applications and custom applications from a single portal.
• Self-service password reset and account unlock: Enable users to reset forgotten passwords and unlock their accounts without involving the help desk, anywhere at any time. Eliminate vulnerabilities due to human intervention.

Other features of ADSelfService Plus

• Password synchronizer: Sync the Windows Active Directory user password across various platforms automatically, eliminating password fatigue.
• Directory self-update: Allow users to update personal information in Active Directory, freeing the help desk from this daunting and repetitive task.