By Chuck Brooks
Traditionally, strong passwords have been a first-tier defense against cyber-attacks and breaches. However, with the development of AI and ML tools, the effectiveness of cyber-defense has been thoroughly diminished, especially from more sophisticated cyber actors who use AI/ML tools to circumvent password defenses. Despite the drawbacks of passwords, cyber decision-makers (CTOs, CISOs, etc.) have been hesitant to abandon them. But an innovative passwordless solution is available that can facilitate that change from passwords and enhance security strategies. It’s Netlok’s Photolok, a passwordless IdP, which employs images in place of passwords and uses OAuth for authentication and Open ID Connect for integration.
Photolok is user-friendly and provides enhanced security not available with other solutions. Photolok’s randomization of photos mediates AI/ML attacks because they cannot identify and/or learn any patterns and, therefore, prevents AI/ML breaches. The proprietary photos are used to hide attack points from nefarious actors, streamline the login process, and make point-and-click navigation easy to use.
With Photolok, bots are unable to recognize which photographs to attack. Any automated attack is substantially neutralized by the randomization of photo localizations. Moreover, the digital information hidden behind the images—which can be updated every time a login attempt is made—won’t be gathered by the bots. Any automated bot attempt to get access will certainly fail and result in the user’s account being instantly locked out.
Photolok makes the identity authentication journey easier for humans to manage. The photos are easy to remember, connect with people, and provide privacy protection. Photolok’s simplicity makes it intuitive and removes language and literacy barriers that make passwords difficult to operate. Getting rid of passwords also eliminates the costly process of password resetting and following password rules, which makes Photolok very cost-effective. To change and/or add new photos, users select and label a photo that are automatically saved in seconds.
Photolok IdP is an identity provider and an authentication server with Open ID Connect making it easier to integrate apps and APIs. With Photolok, users upload pictures from Photolok’s custom library to be used as identifiers. To authenticate their identity, the user just uploads, labels, and chooses security photos from Photolok’s custom library.
Photolok IdP can be used as a standalone MFA alternative. The availability of robust authentication techniques like multi-factor authentication (MFA) can greatly lower the risk of data loss or compromise and is one of the main benefits of adopting an identity provider (IdP). Photolok MFA IdP can confirm the user’s identity, making it more difficult for malicious parties to access private information without authorization.
Deploying single sign-on (SSO) technology also simplifies the user experience, which is another advantage of adopting an identity provider like Photolok. When used with a federator like Okta Workforce, users won’t need to remember numerous passwords, usernames, or backup authentication techniques, which lowers the total quantity of data that a business’s system must constantly monitor. For example, Netlok uses Photolok to login to its Okta Workforce account to immediately access a wide pool of apps and APIs.
Photolok is the first IdP to offer situational security protection in the public environments or even in unprotected remote work. The Photolok account owner can 1) Give permission for the device and browser to be used for Photolok identity and authentication entry, 2) Utilize the “Duress” photo to trigger an automated warning informing the IT that the account owner is having problems or that a malicious actor is forcing them to access their device, 3) Utilize the “One-Time Use” photo to stop shoulder surfing, and 4) Give permission for the alert message to be sent each time the user opens their account. Photolok is a major innovative development in digital security systems, particularly in its capabilities to mitigate AI generated threats. Photolok effectively removes a great deal of the shortcomings in the current security paradigm. More significantly, Photolok blocks horizontal penetrations and defends against external threats, such as ransomware, phishing, keylogging, shoulder surfing, and man-in-the-middle assaults. In effect, Photolok lessens the user’s burden while improving online digital security, which is essential for widespread adoption by both businesses and consumers.
Data breaches have become increasingly common in the last few years thanks to an increase in the sophistication of data collection and infiltration technology. The frequency and severity of such breaches are only expected to increase.
Because of this, it is crucial for organizations to take proactive measures to secure their sensitive data. To do this, it’s best to begin by exploring the reality of data breach frequency and the importance of investing in advanced authentication methods, such as Netlok’s Photolok technology, to protect against cyber threats.
According to IBM’s annual report, more than 550 organizations in the United States have been affected by serious data breaches in the past year. In total, there were more than 493 million individual ransomware attacks globally in 2022 and more than 3.4 billion phishing scam emails – including those posing as LinkedIn, which accounted for more than half of the total scam emails.
That same IBM report states that the global average cost of a data breach in 2023 has risen 15% in the past three years, to more than $4.45 million, while Cybersecurity Ventures estimates that the cost is even greater, at more than $8 trillion in 2023. They predict that the cost will only go up from there, to as much as $10.5 trillion in 2025.
Forbes reported in March of this year that, “While cybersecurity capabilities and awareness seem to be improving, unfortunately the threat and sophistication of cyber-attacks are matching that progress.” Cyber attacks have evolved from obviously false emails to well-manicured duplicates with disguised senders and from simple smash-and-grab data mining to well-planned DDOS takedowns of massive industry standards and even government software including a Ukrainian satellite.
Possibly the most threatening advancement is that of AI tools, which can process password decryption much faster than previous programs. These programs can then use the data collected to improve phishing attempts and collect even more data as well as expose vulnerabilities with assets like cryptocurrency.
Roughly 51% of organizations have plans to increase security around their customers’ data and personal information. To do this, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the United States recommends implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) into your organization’s data security network. MFA is the use of multiple identity verification methods to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive data.
While traditionally, MFA relies on passwords and devices, these options are quickly becoming the targets of scammer AI training and replication programs. There are, however, newer options available to you for MFA. One excellent example is Netlok’s Photolok technology.
With Photolok, users are asked to verify their identity by uploading and labeling an image. This image can be of anything, and, when the user or anyone else attempts to access their information, it will appear alongside other similar images. Users will need to select the appropriate image as a secondary identification format.
Photolok also includes a method of alerting authorities in the event of a dangerous situation that may force a user to log in while under the influence of a bad actor. This Duress photo option can help to ensure a user’s safety and the prompt response of authorities in one quick and undetectable – from the user side – move.
With no passwords or questions to crack, many AI programs are rendered useless against Photolok. The system also includes protections against lateral penetrations, bots, ransomware, keylogging, SIM card swapping, and shoulder surfing with features like one-time-use photo verifications and device authorization.
The growing frequency and sophistication of data breaches in the modern world present a significant threat to organizations and individuals alike. Investing in advanced authentication methods like multi-factor authentication (MFA) is now more than ever crucial to protecting sensitive data from cyber-attacks.
With options like Netlok’s Photolok technology, organizations can implement a highly secure MFA system that is resistant to AI programs and other forms of cyber attacks. As the threat of data breaches continues to increase, it is essential for organizations to stay vigilant in protecting their data and invest in advanced security measures to safeguard against cyber criminals.
In today’s world, information security online has become more crucial than ever. As a result, the online authentication methods have also evolved significantly.
Identity providers are the most significant innovation in cyber data security. They maintain and authenticate user information across various platforms to ensure safety and convenience.
Let’s explore how identity providers work to protect your sensitive information online.
When you frequent a website or use a service on a regular basis, and want to customize your experience or store data of some description, it’s common to create an account with that site or service. This allows you to have a dedicated user experience personalized to your needs. But how do you keep this personal information safe? Using identity protection methods and authentication. That’s where an identity provider – or IdP – comes in.
An IdP is an entity that stores and manages the digital identities – usernames, passwords, and other identifying information – of its users and acts as the verification process between a user and a website or service. You can think of it as being a bouncer at the door to an event, who keeps the guest list and checks against it for everyone trying to enter. IdPs are most frequently used in cloud computing services to manage user identities and/or authenticate devices logging into a network.
Though they are named similarly, an identity provider and a service provider are two different ends of the user-need system. A service provider is any web-based application, system, or service that a user would like to access, which stores user information behind the wall of an account for authentication. An identity provider, on the other hand, is the intermediary service that actively records and confirms the identity of a user or device so that they can access the service provider’s network.
That being said, both are important to the process of federated identity management, which is an arrangement between two providers (an IdP and an SP) that offers secure, smooth access to information and services by consolidating their information into one interactive system rather than requiring them to create new authentication credentials at every step of the process and for every unique program or application they use.
Using an IdP to secure user data has many benefits.
One of the most significant advantages of using an IdP is that it provides strong authentication methods such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), which can significantly reduce the risk of data loss or data compromise. By implementing MFA, the IdP can verify the identity of the user, making it harder for bad actors to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data.
Another benefit of using an IdP is that it simplifies the user experience by allowing users to use single sign-on (SSO) technology. This means users don’t have to remember multiple passwords, usernames, or secondary authentication methods, which reduces the overall amount of data that a company’s system needs to monitor at any given time. This also makes it easier for users to navigate between different applications and services without having to re-enter their credentials each time.
Beyond this, using an IdP can streamline the user data management process by taking the burden of data management and security off of the service provider. Again, this makes monitoring easier, as it provides a centralized unit for auditing access events (meaning instances of users attempting to gain access to information) and tracing those events. With an IdP, the service provider can focus on the service itself and on offering a great user experience while the IdP handles security and data management.
Overall, using an IdP is an effective way to secure user data and simplify the user experience while reducing the overall risk of data loss or data compromise.
There are two main types of widely available IdP setups.
IdPs have three basic steps in their working process.
Usually, this process will need to be repeated every time a user logs into the service provider’s main system. There are often options users can select to have IdPs remember specific devices or browsers so that they do not need to log in as often.
Data protection online is incredibly important, which is why service providers partner with identity providers. This system allows users to have both an easy and secure way to access their data without worrying that it will be compromised by malicious third parties.
If your company is interested in establishing an authentication system, Netlok’s Photolok service might be the IdP you’ve been looking for. Photolok is a unique authentication system that allows users to upload photos to be used as identifiers; simply upload and label your security image and select it from a roster of images to verify your identity. Photolok even provides users with a Duress option, which allows them to choose a specific photo if they have been forced to access their account, sending a distress signal to the provider so that authorities can be alerted to the situation quickly and quietly.
You can request a demo of Photolok today to see if this service is right for your organization.
Cybersecurity is a major focus for individuals and businesses in the modern world. Because most of our infrastructure runs through the Internet, we need reliable ways to ensure that what belongs to us stays with us and doesn’t fall into the hands of someone who might use it inappropriately or hurt us with it.
There are many ways you can improve your personal or business cybersecurity efforts, and one of the simplest and most effective is to improve your authentication systems with MFA.
According to the Computer Security Resource Center at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, authentication is defined as “the process of verifying the identity of a user, process, or device, often as a prerequisite to allowing access to resources in an information system.” Essentially, this is a website, brand, company, or other entity’s way of ensuring that the information you give them is safe and that only you can access it. It’s essentially a method for creating a digital identification card for each entity you work with, which you present to them in order to access special perks, make transactions in a commerce space, share information in a community, or otherwise use your own personal identity online.
The usual process for this is simple: you give the website (or other entity, but for convenience, we’ll say website) a piece of identifying information – usually a unique username, email address, or membership number – and pair that with a password that works as a key. The website takes this information to create a unique identification code. When you input the identifying information and the password together into the website, that identification code is “unlocked” and allows you to access any personal information you choose to share with them, from payment cards to order histories to addresses to important documentation.
Unfortunately, it’s relatively easy to steal someone’s password. People may write down their passwords, tell them to friends, or use the same password across multiple accounts. Thieves will also use programs that use algorithmic testing to generate the correct password and crack into your account. If this happens, your personal information is at risk of misuse or theft.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a method of authenticating data in multiple steps so that your information is more secure. Think of it like adding additional locks and keys to your security system.
In a system with MFA, when you create your login credentials, you’ll be prompted to connect a secondary method of identification. This most often comes in the form of a phone number, email, or authentication application. The system sends a unique code, usually about six digits long, to your secondary identification. You then enter this code into the space provided in the system, which, to return to the metaphor from before, acts as a key to the second lock on your information.
From there, every time you log into your account, you’ll be prompted to enter one of these unique codes from the second source, meaning there is an extra step with an outside device or system that you need access to covering your information. This means that, even if they do get your password, malevolent forces can’t access your information.
Of course, no system is without its risks. If, somehow, a bad actor gets into your account even with MFA, they can change the secondary identifier to something they own, locking you out of your account without changing your credentials. Additionally, if you lose access to your secondary identification, you’ll be locked out of your account. Usually, this can be resolved with a call to your system’s technical support center, but it is a risk to be aware of.
That being said, technology is evolving in the space of bad actors that are capable of mimicking authentication applications and bypassing MFA with computer viruses. Text messages are notoriously unsecured, meaning that, if a hacker can gain access to your phone or text records, they can bypass MFA that way. These technologies are still in early stages, but have been known to cause serious damage when not properly addressed by the systems using MFA.
Some of the best ways to combat these issues with MFA are to
No system is perfect, but if a cybersecurity measure is effective, it’s worth trying. MFA has been a trusted cybersecurity measure for many years because it is, to a large degree, effective. The technology behind it has evolved and advanced over time at pace with the technology that is used to foil it, so, combined with other measures like conscious data protection and encryption, MFA can be a useful and powerful part of a good cybersecurity strategy.
Cybersecurity is a complex industry that’s become essential for everyone who accesses the internet on a regular basis. We have accounts for everything now, from online shopping to banking to government applications, so how can we be sure that our information stays out of the hands of people who might want to hurt us while still being able to get into our accounts when we need them?
We use authentication methods, including multi-factor authentication and single sign-ons. Here’s what you need to know about how these two measures work and what they’re used for, as well as the relative safety of both and how they compare to each other.
The process of signing into an account is known as authentication, as you are confirming who you are and that you have the right to be accessing the information you’re looking for. For a traditional online account, you’ll make a unique username or use an email and pair it with a unique password that only you are supposed to know.
While good in theory, this doesn’t provide a particularly high level of security; it’s relatively easy to guess someone’s password if you know them well, people are prone to sharing passwords with their friends or family members for the sake of convenience, and malicious parties have created software that can quickly work through possible combinations to find the correct password in minutes.
That’s why many services use multiple sources of confirmation to ensure that the person trying to access an account is actually who they say they are. This is called multi-factor authentication or MFA, and it’s used on everything from social media to online banking and more.
MFA works like this:
There are a couple of drawbacks to MFA to be aware of. To start with, if you lose access to your secondary method of identification, unless you have backups in place, you lose access to the entire account. Additionally, if you’re using a phone for access, you need to have cell phone service to get the authentication code. Generally, though, MFA is a relatively useful method of keeping your accounts safe and secure.
Single sign-on (SSO), as the name implies, is a system of consolidating identifying information to one set of credentials that lets you access multiple applications. This is most useful for companies and larger enterprises but is also popularly used by social media applications to allow third-party access connected to your social media account.
Single sign-on works basically like this.
For companies, an SSO can let multiple people access multiple accounts across various devices without having to remember a million passwords. It can also provide a more seamless login experience that reduces frustration in the workplace, especially if the work you’re doing requires you to access many different applications quickly or simultaneously.
The most obvious drawback for SSOs is that, if a hacker gains access to the provider, they then have access to all of the user’s accounts in one fell swoop. That being said, having an SSO encourages stronger passwords and means that your interactions with various applications are encrypted on a higher level.
It’s difficult to accurately compare the safety of MFA and SSO given the fact that these are two completely different authentication systems with different goals in mind; on a basic level, MFA is focused on security while SSO is focused on user convenience. Technically, you could argue that MFA is more secure than SSO but with the potential to lock users out more often, and SSO is more accessible than MFA but less secure from outside attacks.
This is why it can be a good idea to use both systems together. SSO systems that also employ MFA get the best of both worlds; users have a seamless login experience across applications while also knowing that their account is secured by outside authentication efforts. Using both adds one step to the process of signing into accounts while streamlining the number of times you have to sign in overall, so you have convenience and peace of mind.
Keeping your accounts secure online is vitally important in an age where everything about our identities – from our financial to our personal information – is tied to the internet in some way. By enabling some form of cybersecurity on your accounts, whether you choose to use Single Sign-On or Multi-Factor Authentication, you can protect your identity from bad actors while still having the freedom to work and explore online as you so choose.
Press Release | May 24, 2023
The National Security Agency (NSA) and partners have identified indicators of compromise (IOCs) associated with a People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-sponsored cyber actor using living off the land techniques to target networks across U.S. critical infrastructure.
“Cyber actors find it easier and more effective to use capabilities already built into critical infrastructure environments. A PRC state-sponsored actor is living off the land, using built-in network tools to evade our defenses and leaving no trace behind,” said Rob Joyce, NSA Cybersecurity Director. “That makes it imperative for us to work together to find and remove the actor from our critical networks.”
To assist network defenders to hunt and detect this type of PRC actor malicious activity on their systems, NSA is leading U.S. and Five Eyes partner agencies in publicly releasing the “People’s Republic of China State-Sponsored Cyber Actor Living off the Land to Evade Detection” Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) today. The partner agencies include:
• U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
• U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC)
• Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS)
• New Zealand National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-NZ)
• United Kingdom National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-UK)
“For years, China has conducted operations worldwide to steal intellectual property and sensitive data from critical infrastructure organizations around the globe,” said Jen Easterly, CISA Director. “Today’s advisory, put out in conjunction with our US and international partners, reflects how China is using highly sophisticated means to target our nation’s critical infrastructure. This joint advisory will give network defenders more insights into how to detect and mitigate this malicious activity. At the same time, we must recognize the agility and capability of PRC cyber actors, and continue to focus on strong cybersecurity practices like network segmentation and ongoing investments in promoting the resilience of critical functions under all conditions. As our nation’s cyber defense agency, CISA stands ready to aid any organization affected and we encourage all organizations to visit our webpage for guidance and resources to make their networks more resilient.”
“The FBI continues to warn against China engaging in malicious activity with the intent to target critical infrastructure organizations and use identified techniques to mask their detection,” said Bryan Vorndran, the FBI’s Cyber Division Assistant Director. “We, along with our federal and international partners, will not allow the PRC to continue to use these unacceptable tactics. The FBI strives to share information with our private sector partners and the public to ensure they can better protect themselves from this targeted malicious activity.”
“It is vital that operators of critical national infrastructure take action to prevent attackers hiding on their systems, as described in this joint advisory with our international partners,” said Paul Chichester, NCSC Director of Operations. “We strongly encourage UK essential service providers to follow our guidance to help detect this malicious activity and prevent persistent compromise.”
“The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security joins its international partners in sharing this newly identified threat and accompanying mitigation measures with critical infrastructure sectors,” said Sami Khoury, Head of the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. “The interconnected nature of our infrastructures and economies highlights the importance of working together with our allies to identify and share real-time threat information.”
The CSA provides an overview of hunting guidance and associated best practices. It includes examples of the actor’s commands and detection signatures. The authoring agencies also includes a summary of indicators of compromise (IOC) values, such as unique command-line strings, hashes, file paths, exploitation of CVE-2021-40539 and CVE-2021-27860 vulnerabilities, and file names commonly used by this actor.
As one of their primary tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) of living off the land, the PRC actor uses tools already installed or built into a target’s system. This allows the actor to evade detection by blending in with normal Windows systems and network activities, avoiding endpoint detection and response (EDR) products, and limiting the amount of activity that is captured in default logging configurations.
NSA recommends network defenders apply the detection and hunting guidance in the CSA, such as logging and monitoring of command line execution and WMI events, as well as ensuring log integrity by using a hardened centralized logging server, preferably on a segmented network.
Defenders should also monitor logs for Event ID 1102, which is generated when the audit log is cleared.
The behavioral indicators noted in the CSA can also be legitimate system administration commands that appear in benign activity. Defenders must evaluate matches to determine the significance, applying their knowledge of the system and baseline behavior.
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