IT Back-Ends and the Security Mess
For those who don’t happen to be close friends to an IT lead somewhere, it’s probably not well-understood what exactly is happening behind the scenes. See, the late and not-so-great uptick in data breaches has major software companies pushing the IT managers at remote locations — companies, manufacturers, universities — to update their software here, reinstall the framework there, apply these patches and squash those bugs. When all else fails, “find a way” is the flavor of the week — and the last the week, and the week before that. It sounds fun, but it can be terribly stressful depending on where this is happening.
This is actually crucial for the average user to know although it’s not immediately apparent why. The truth is, there’s a war on for clients’ data, and the best way to get this isn’t through clients’ own devices anymore; it’s through the databases that collect and store large amounts of private data from said clients. While malware on personal devices is still a problem today, circumvention is fairly straightforward now: Install an anti-malware tool, put up a firewall, maybe add a VPN and everything’s just ducky. However, when speaking in the capacity of a database manager or software developer, the centralized nature of the beast requires a radically more robust security system.
How Security Is Threatened
There are a couple ways that malicious users are finding their way inside systems big and small, and believe the experts when they say that no person or company is too small to target. Everyone has some form of data that can be exploited to some benefit, and even if it’s not credit card numbers or bank credentials, it’s the official materials like social security numbers, driver’s license information and certificate data that can be abused to take on identities that are thrown away on transactions of the illicit sort. The dark web (or, for the cool kids, “dank web”) is still very much alive and kicking despite Ross Ulbricht’s operations being shut down.
A few of the ways that hackers, script kiddies and just bad people in general are finding their ways into personal and manufacturer data are as follows:
- Varying Update Paces
Every third-party extension of a manufacturer has their own internal security flaws thanks to using uniquely constructed software for field operation conveyance.
- Old Security Tricks
Simply encrypting everything with a single sign on (SSO) attack plan isn’t working anymore. Hackers are finding more flaws than ever in archaic systems on both hard- and software levels.
- Too Many Ties
Manufacturers that rely on too many third parties are risking the integrity of their system. Additionally, every third party has their own array of representatives whose personal devices suffer a similar problem with apps and operating system versions.
OneLogin’s Solution
It’s not necessary to reinvent the wheel here. By taking the old tried and true know-how behind multifactor authentication (MFA) and single sign on checkpoints, legitimate users only need to sign into a single portal or app with a single throwaway password; a hardware certificate alongside a plethora of other identification and checking software works to validate subsequent logins without entering a single character. Combining non-technical security measures with technical ones and pushing everything through an SSO gateway, it’s possible to streamline access for real employees and executives while the frauds are kept at bay.
This unique combination of old techniques to create a new system is what makes OneLogin a firm candidate for future asset protection on the software level.