Why Traditional Cybersecurity Solutions Aren’t Stopping Identity Attacks

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, cyber threats are becoming more commonplace. Both new and established organizations, however, rely on traditional cybersecurity measures. Monitoring network firewalls, scanning files and software, establishing virtual private networks (VPNs), and collecting log data for legacy security information and event management (SIEM) are all important protocols. However, modern threats go beyond these basic solutions, compromising millions of individuals and companies every year.

The truth is that traditional security controls and safeguards aren’t stopping identity attacks. They are failing to adapt and modernize, creating a system where attackers are able to log in to systems as opposed to breaking in. Keep reading to find out why, and learn how modern cybersecurity platforms can be a better alternative to preventing identity attacks from occurring.

Bypassing the “Front Door”

Hackers are smart. Just like a house robber, they know there always is more than one way in. The front door of many homes is what is most secure. Residents install home security devices such as cameras to deter burglars, ensure their porches are well-lit, and double-check that the front door is locked before leaving home. Knowing these kinds of protections are in place, robbers will find an alternate way in, perhaps an unlocked window or garage door.

The same is true with online hackers. In the digital world, the “front door” is the initial sign-in checkpoint. Secure sites require users to enter a username and password, and perhaps a multi-factor authentication (MFA) prompt as well. Traditional cybersecurity platforms are set up to secure the initial login gate. Having a perimeter defense can be effective, but not for the more sophisticated, savvy hackers that plague the system today.

Modern cybersecurity solutions protect the entire digital ecosystem, securing internal traffic, user identities, and data flows, instead of just blocking the perimeter entry points. With a modern platform, you can rest easy knowing that the system is continuously monitoring behaviors and identifying potential threats to the system.

Relying on Basic Push Notifications

Basic push notifications can create a false sense of security. These notifications depend on device settings, network stability, and immediate attention, and a compromised device can easily be spoofed by attackers. Many of the notifications themselves lack context, showing a brief message just so the user can enter an installed app or website. For these reasons, basic push notifications are largely unreliable and are another reason why traditional cybersecurity measures aren’t stopping identity attacks.

Better solutions for companies include in-app verification. This requires users to open a secure application and explicitly approve or deny a request inside of an encrypted session. Hardware tokens that do not rely on cellular networks or smartphone operating systems are another solution, which can be good for in-office employees.

Companies can take basic MFA a step further with a biometric confirmation, such as a fingerprint or face scan, on an employee’s trusted personal or work device. MFA that requests a one-time, time-based password is a more effective option compared to a simple one-tap push approval.

Disregarding Excessive Permissions

In 2023, Netflix officially stopped free password sharing in the United States. The company realized that paying users were sharing their login accounts with numerous friends and family, dwindling their profit margins every month. With the new rules, Netflix restricts account users to those within the same home, or offers an extra member fee for those who wish to share with one other individual. Netflix essentially locked down on “excessive permissions” — or when a user is granted access rights or privileges beyond their needs.

In the cybersecurity world, excessive permissions are something that traditional platforms fail to protect against. If a member of your HR team, for example, is granted special access to a security system temporarily, but continues to have a login, this could pose a threat. Legacy tools assume that if a user has the right authentication privileges, their actions are inherently safe. It will fail to observe off-hand behavior just because the individual was able to log in. And if a username and password get into the wrong hands, it can be detrimental to your company as a whole.

More sophisticated cybersecurity solutions will give users only the bare minimum access needed to complete a task. Their multi-layer systems keep those out of portals that they don’t necessarily need everyday access to. Additionally, they will continuously scan cloud and network directories to spot dormant or unused permissions and remove them. This ensures that the individual on your tech team who left the company a few months ago can’t log back into your company’s network.

Key Takeaways

Basic cybersecurity measures are a good step in the right direction, but they lack follow-through. Companies that overly rely on outdated security systems are putting themselves, their employees, and their sensitive data at risk. Today’s reports show that identity attacks are now one of the primary targets for cybercriminals, with Microsoft detecting more than 600 million attacks every day. Unfortunately, identity attacks will only continue to be on the rise as artificial intelligence (AI) platforms are trained by hackers to bypass standard verification systems.

Modern-day cybersecurity solutions offer businesses comprehensive, 24/7 protection across digital assets, cloud environments, and hybrid workforces. Many of these solutions incorporate AI learnings and behaviors to move beyond protecting the basic perimeter into more advanced automated, behavior-monitoring protective measures.