Today it is Identity Management Day!  This day educates people on the importance of it and the dangers of not properly securing identities and credentials. As an organization you can use this day to raise extra awareness for your employees. This article explains what Identity Management is and how to securely protect your identity.

Identity Management is about managing and protecting your (digital) identities and those of partners and customers. This includes your usernames, passwords and other personal data you use to access certain information, devices or services. No matter which department within a company you work for, we all deal with different (digital) identities that we need to protect. Identity Management is important for everyone.

By dealing securely with your (digital) identities, you protect your privacy and prevent (digital) identity fraud. You also protect yourself and your orgranization against information security incidents. According to the Ponemon Institute State of Cybersecurity Report 2022, 54% of all information security incidents are linked to stolen login credentials.

1. Don’t share your login credentials with anyone.

Keep your login details for yourself, including colleagues you trust.

2. Use Unique and strong passwords for all your accounts:

This means a long password which is difficult for someone else to guess and which you don’t use for any other account. Never use personal information such as your name, birthday, user name or email address.

3. Use a password vault: 

This sets up and stores new, strong passwords for you. The only thing you have to remember is your unique and strong master password.

4. Use multifactor authentication (MFA):

MFA requires a user to present two or more pieces of evidence like a face ID or fingerprint for authentication. It will enhance your organization’s security by requiring your employees to identify themselves by more than a username and password.

5. Only share personal information with trusted parties and never share more than necessary:

6. Check the website https://haveibeenpwned.com/ from time to time:

On this website you can see if your data has been leaked or stolen. In that case you need to change your password as soon as possible.

What are you doing to protect your digital identities? We challenge you to do (even) more. Put the Identity Management Day in your calendar and follow the tips mentioned!

Curious about what you can do more to protect your identities? Check our security awareness programs.