Identity Management Day occurs on the second Tuesday of April, April 9 this year. It was established by the Identity Defined Security Alliance in 2021 in collaboration with the National Cybersecurity Alliance. Its primary aim is to heighten awareness about the risks associated with the lax or incorrect handling of digital identities.
Effective identity management practices help prevent identity theft, fraud, and data breaches, which can have devastating consequences for both individuals and organizations. By educating people about the importance of securely managing their digital identities, they are empowered to take proactive measures to protect their personal information and sensitive data.
8 tips to protect digital identities
1. Implement MFA: In addition to enforcing strong password policies, require employees to use multiple forms of verification, such as passwords, biometrics, or security tokens, to access company systems, resources, and data. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access, even if passwords are compromised.
2. Enable account lockout policies: Implement account lockout policies to automatically lock user accounts after a specified number of failed login attempts, preventing brute-force attacks. This protects against malicious login attempts and alerts administrators to potential security threats.
3. Use role-based access control (RBAC): Limit access to data and systems based on employees’ roles and responsibilities to minimize the potential impact of a security breach.
4. Implement the principle of least privilege: Grant employees access only to the resources and data they need to perform their jobs, reducing the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive information.
5. Regularly review permissions: Conduct periodic reviews of user permissions and access rights to ensure that employees possess appropriate permissions only for the required time. This enhances security by minimizing the risk of unauthorized access and promotes compliance with regulatory requirements. Regular access reviews also ensure that employees won’t retain unnecessary privileges after changing roles or leaving the company.
6. Monitor and audit access: Implement continuous logging and monitoring systems to track user activity and identify any suspicious behavior or unauthorized access attempts promptly. This allows administrators to analyze the data, address any suspicious activity, and minimize the impact of security incidents.
7. Establish an incident response plan: Develop and regularly update an incident response plan outlining the steps to take in the event of a security breach, ensuring a swift and effective response to mitigate potential damage.
8. Provide security awareness training: Educate employees about common cybersecurity threats, such as phishing attacks, and how to recognize and respond to them appropriately.
Identity management made easy, the ManageEngine way
ManageEngine provides identity management solutions to help organizations manage and secure identities effectively. Choose from tailor-made processes that can help you streamline anything from password management to access reviews. Easily automate provisioning and deprovisioning, role-based access control and self-service password management.
Whether it’s ensuring compliance with regulatory standards or mitigating security risks, ManageEngine provides solutions that meet the evolving demands of identity management in today’s digital landscape.
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