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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.
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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