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.
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.
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