by Rebeca | May 19, 2021 | open source, soffid
Today’s business leaders face enormous pressure from markets, competition, and the current pandemic, which is radically changing the way we do business and engage with customers. Organizations need to adapt, imagine new revenue models, innovate as never before, and attract a new generation of talent to fuel this evolution and help the business stay relevant.
In the last few decades, organizations large and small have started leveraging the benefits of open source at unprecedented levels. One of the benefits of working with open source technologies or projects is the free sharing of ideas. Open source brings people together to brainstorm and develop a common piece of technology.
The open source web frameworks offer an alternative that shifts the company focus from the centralisation of resources – which has become of little significance – to the adoption of more internationally widespread technologies. The technological exclusive and the supposed guarantees of a private supplier are exchanged for a transparent shared standard.
In the past technology ownership guaranteed a competitive edge over the competition and money could also be made from licensing. The source code of the software in question was a company secret to be protected.
With the growth of the web and the spread of technologies to support the online services, the IT sector has experienced the formation of a very fragmented situation.
In this scenario the big digital service companies have played an important role, at times determining with their economic weight the growth of some of these technologies and the consequent decline of others. New international standards have been set.
At the same time, many cases of successful open source frameworks have emerged which have ridden the wave of the community-driven technologies, i.e. developed and maintained by international teams of independent developers.
The source code of this software is not secret in any way and any part it is composed of is accessible, encouraging ethical transparency and 360° customisation.
In light of the success obtained by these frameworks, today privatising the technologies on which to base their services and products means companies run the risk of reinventing the wheel, rather than concentrating on activities that create solid value. A similar argument could be made for companies that have old assets, spending energy on maintaining obsolete solutions that are going out of use rather than preparing for the migration to modern methodologies.
Compared to open source frameworks the owned ones are more expensive and risk becoming outdated more quickly in a world in constant evolution.
The value of ideas has increased
A shared technological standard on an international level, helped by an open source philosophy, has a superior value compared to the in-house alternatives. The ability to integrate programming languages and different tools effectively and using the resources already created by other developers increases the competitiveness of the web-based platforms.
Considering the rise of open source frameworks the question is not how to centralise control over technology, but how to adapt these resources to our advantage, participating in their progressive enhancement while developing components for company use.
Technology is the tool that allows us to drive value, but this comes from positive ideas to digitalise the company resources available.
With freemium solutions like Soffid, the customer get all the benefits from both sides, from the traditional product and from the open source product. They get a good support, they get a development roadmap and quick security fixes.
Soffid is one Single product, release like open source and including all the features about Identity and access management, priviledge account management and identity governance.
Shall we talk?
by Rebeca | May 13, 2021 | soffid
We have the pleasure to share with you Identity and Access Management Snacks by Soffid, our best topics in Identity and Access Management.ç
Come along to our new friendly “snacks” focused on the latest trends in digital identity
Learn how your users can securely take control over sharing their data and how identity can not just solve these challenges but be a business enabler too.
We’d love to hear your ideas for topics to discuss as well!
We’re always on the lookout for new trends in Identity and Access Management, so follow our Youtube channel and if you like this page, share it now!
by Rebeca | May 12, 2021 | soffid
Digital transformation, Competitive advantage and saving money are driving factors for any organization moving to the cloud.
However, many organizations still need to support their business-critical applications that are running on premises.
To support and secure this reality and enable a smooth migration to the cloud, you need a comprehensive hybrid cloud IAM strategy today.
Hybrid is the reality of a lot of our customers. However, it is also a relative term.
For some customers, who have a lot of complex legacy and mission critical systems running on prem, hybrid cloud simply means moving from physical data centers that they manage to co-location data centers where they no longer manage the facilities and environmentals, but still handle everything inside the cage.
These are typically the customers that are at a scale where the cost of public cloud is more expensive than continuing to manage on their own. Or they are very risk averse and conservative in their approach to IT because they have regulatory or other security concerns.
And then we have customers who have a public cloud-first business mandate. Customers who are focused on delivering value to their users and want to leverage cloud fully to reduce their time to market for any new services.
These customers have fully embraced cloud and are looking for solutions with a cloud-first attitude.
No matter where a customer falls on the spectrum, to trends we discussed on the prior slide hold true.
Digital identity plays a huge role in all of these trends, and I would submit to you that not any old identity solution will do.
You need an identity solution that can be put in the heart of your business, that is flexible enough to meet a broad array of needs across the business, that can fuel exceptional digital experiences for customers, partners and employees, and that has the power and scale to handle Balck Friday volumes of digital traffic every day.
Customers need a true hybrid identity platform that can deliver on the needs of today, as well as in the future, as the technology landscape continues to evolve.
In fact, I ran a poll during Soffid identity live events last year, where a global audience was polled on this exact topic.
When asked how long that they see themselves running in such a hybrid cloud model, more than 86% of the respondents said that hybrid will be their reality for five years or more. These are all customers who are adopting cloud actively.
So what are the challenges that they face and why are they not able to move 100% to the cloud sonner? Well, for these customers they’re ready to get the cost and the security benefits from cloud by moving their business-critical applications. But the biggest challenge is how to transition to the cloud from on premises, which they’ve invested in so heavily over many years, while still maintaining full functionality.
We believe we have a solution that helps you rise to the challenge of our new normal driven by digital transformation, Zero Trust, and hybrid cloud, as well as solve some of the associated problems that our teams are really struggling with.
A recent study found that more than 70% of IT leaders expect benefits from hybrid IAM, primarily in the areas of customer and employee experiences and security. This is important because, as discussed before, our belief is that organizations need an identity platform in order to address all the opportunities and challenges that our current environment presents. And furthermore, organizations need IT delivered from the cloud so that you can focus on meeting all the new demands, while resting assured that you have a solution that meets the needs of today, tomorrow and as well as into the future.
You need a platform that will be there for you as you grow and as your needs evolve. A true identity platform delivered as a service.
Soffid IAM Cloud offers cloud without compromise, no surprises, and great experiences for your customers, partners and employees. A platform that will be there for you as you grow and as your needs evolve. A true identity platform delivered as a service.
Let’s explore what I mean by cloud without compromise. With one subscription, you get complete freedom to meet your full hybrid needs. Not only does this include our cloud solution but also powerful downloadable components that you can deploy into your enterprise to integrate all of your applications, no matter where they are, including on prem and that’s hybrid, which is a maximum deployment flexibility. And you don’t need to compromise on getting a true identity platform.
And no surprises here is what I mean, with one flexible subscription, you get predictable pricing, which means no surprise overage charges because your user logged in more than what was originally projected. You are protected.
You also get complete control of your data with complete isolation of your environment. You choose where your data is stored geographically so that you can comply with regulations. Your data is never commingled with other customers’ data and complete isolation means, no noisy or nosy neighbors affecting your service.
No surprises also means you get the power and scale of providing a consistent service to your users.
Finally with Soffid IAM Cloud you can deliver unparallized and optimized journeys for your users with our advanced intelligent access orchestration capability. With this you can go passwordless or even usernameless to provide the ultimate convenience for your users.
We support any identity type, customers, partners and employees and also devices which are becoming first-class citizens with IoT.
Now let’s take a look at how Soffid IAM Cloud can deliver real business value and benefits that are tangible. It can help you reduce your application development times by 25% to 95% and we can help you reduce your architecture design and planning time by 25% to 80% and we can help you reduce that IAM operations overhead by 40% to 80%
And that enables you to grow your business and it makes your life easy and saves money. Who wouldn’t want that? It means you can focus your energies providing great user experiences.
It means your applications developers can focus on what they do best, which is building great apps rather than worrying about IAM protocols like SAML and OAuth 2. They can quickly add capabilities like passwordless or even usernameless to the experiences with just a few clicks and focus their time on building your business IP.
It means that you can spend less time designing the security features of your apps because your identity and access management needs are handled by a single trusted vendor. This way you don’t have to worry about stitching together multiple products from different companies but rather reduce operational risk and you can meet security regulatory and compliance requirements and we do all of that while reducing your infrastructure needs.
You spend less time running systems and more time delivering value to the business and that’s just undeniable.
And you can do all this while leveraging Soffid IAM Cloud. However, if taking a different path to the cloud journey including your hybrid needs, we have another options as well and that includes our self-managed option. You can deploy this very rich platform on premises in any public cloud or in a hybrid fashion.
by Rebeca | May 6, 2021 | cybersecurity, News, soffid
Today is World Password Day. Every year on the first Thursday in May World Password Day promotes better password habits. Despite what is going on in the world this might be the most important Password Day there has been.
With so many of us working from home our cybersecurity will be stretched to the limit. The basis of great cybersecurity is using strong passwords. So to a good way of improving your security is making sure employees are using strong passwords for all accounts your business uses.
Why is World Password Day so important?
Well despite all the warnings about using the same weak passwords on our accounts, we are still doing it. We are still making it easy for cybercriminals to hack into our accounts. If a hacker gets access to one account and you use that password across different accounts, they now have access to all of them.
A survey held in the UK by password manager LastPass found some shocking behaviours around using the same password.
- 92% know that using the same or a variation of the same password is a risk, but:
- 50% of us do it regardless!
Passwords are now an expected and typical part of our data-driven online lives. In today’s digital culture, it’s not unusual to need a password for everything—from accessing your smartphone, to signing into your remote workspace, to checking your bank statements, and more. We’ve all grown used to entering passwords dozens of times per day, and because of this, we often take passwords for granted and forget how crucial they are.
With that in mind, what steps can you take to ensure that your personal data is protected at all times?
Consider a password overhaul—at home and at work
We know… just the mere thought of coming up with (and remembering) yet another new password is daunting. The average person has about 100 different passwords for the various tools, apps, websites, and online services they use on a regular basis. With so many passwords to keep track of, those familiar “Update Password” prompts tend to get bothersome.
But, unfortunately, we live in a world of constant hacking attempts and security breaches. While changing passwords may be inconvenient at times, following this password best practice can help prevent the following data catastrophes:
- Giving hackers easy access to your most sensitive accounts
- Breaches to multiple accounts that share the same or similar passwords
- Attacks by keystroke loggers who steal common login credentials
- Loss of data through shared (and easily stolen) passwords
Although it requires time and patience, password protection is one of the most important things you can do to safeguard your personal, professional, and sensitive data. The list below includes four easy and practical tips for creating better password policies.
1. Increase the complexity and length of each password
There’s a reason that websites and online services provide so much direction when prompting users to create new passwords. Variation in both the complexity and length really does matter when it comes to protecting your accounts. Always incorporate both upper and lowercase letters, numbers, special characters, and symbols into each password you create.
When used in combination, complexity and length make passwords much harder to guess at random. This tactic also prevents users from relying on common phrases or personal identifiers (such as date of birth) when making new passwords. A password that contains only lowercase letters of a simple phrase is much more vulnerable than a complex combination of different characters.
2. Use a password manager
Password management software takes some of the brunt out of remembering the many different combinations you use around the internet. Generally, a password manager requires the creation of one master password. Then, you’ll be given the option to connect different logins that are then placed into your password “vault.”
Many password managers also encrypt passwords to create an additional layer of protection. This means that once you’re logged into the password manager, you may be able to login automatically to different websites, but the exact characters of your unique passwords aren’t always visible.
3. Never store passwords in plain sight
Although it’s tempting, you should never record passwords on paper or in plain sight somewhere on your desktop (such as on a notes app). These methods are easy to spot, which makes them even easier to steal. Additionally, it’s not very difficult to lose, misplace, or throw away passwords that you store on paper.
If you ever need to share passwords or login credentials with another individual (perhaps a family member or an approved coworker), always choose a secure method. Password management software also comes in handy when you need a secure way to share passwords.
4. Use multi-factor authentication wherever possible
Strong passwords make a big difference, but sometimes, additional security is necessary. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is the process of protecting your digital password with a physical form of identification. For example, when you enter your password into an online account like Gmail, you may receive a code to your mobile phone that you’ll have to enter for an extra line of security. MFA is an effective way to prevent cybercriminals from accessing passwords via third party online systems.
Multi-factor authentication can be conducted in a variety of ways—it might include a quick fingerprint scan, a phone call, a text message, or a code. While MFA does add another roadblock to accessing your account, it’s a simple, yet powerful way to strengthen data security.
Enhancing your unique passwords is just one of the many ways that you can lock down any potential vulnerabilities and prevent cybercriminals from accessing your information.
Sources:
(1) Infotech
(2) Techsecurity
by Rebeca | Apr 28, 2021 | cybersecurity, News
Today’s network-dependent organization faces an array of challenges and threats. Information and its critical role manifest in many different ways and formats, and are subject to countless outlets for distribution and sharing. Organizations find themselves balancing several factors.
- How do you properly manage and protect the information within the confines of an organization’s best interest and regulatory environment while still taking advantage of new and disruptive technologies?
- How do you address not only risks on the edges of the next technological advance but also within the core fundamentals of information technology management? There are daily challenges behind the mundane tasks of managing a modern information technology environment.
While trust is a major element in cyber security, it can’t be assumed completely. Here are some ways to evaluate trust in your organization so you can make adjustments as needed.
Evaluate How Your Business Assumes Trust
People with cyber security contract jobs will almost always suggest limiting access to only certain users who need the information to do their jobs. By allowing any given user access to the information they don’t necessarily need, you’re assuming trust that they won’t use the information maliciously. Professionals with a cyber security career will evaluate this assumption of trust throughout the organization in order to evaluate the possible risks and consequences. Many times access controls have to be implemented if there’s the potential for a major data breach.
Determine Your Risk Levels
Once your assumptions of trust are evaluated, you have to determine what risks you’re willing to take. If all employees have access to confidential financial or business information, what could possibly go wrong? Most of the time the list of cons is much longer than the list of pros, so hiring people for cyber security contract jobs to limit access is typically the best option. Some risks aren’t worth taking, no matter how much you want to trust your employees.
Cyber Security Education is Invaluable
We’ve talked a lot about not necessarily trusting employees with confidential information, but one thing you can do to build trust, even more, is offering cyber security education. Employees may not know the ramifications of every action they take online. People with cyber and network security jobs can educate them on what can happen in different situations and how the results directly impact them. Whether you trust your employees currently or not, educating them on cyber security is invaluable for giving you peace of mind if nothing else.
In conclusion, the Internet population, network-connected devices, and threats equal to, and perhaps exceed, our dependence on the modern network. In order to continue prospering from the use of this technology, the all organizations must address this challenge. Soffid is a natural partner in any enterprise cybersecurity strategy, because the network platform plays an important role in this environment. For your organization to keep pace with the dynamic environment, you must learn to use the network to achieve trust, gain visibility, and provide resiliency in your enterprise.
Sources:
(1) Researchgate.com
(2) Information Security
