Identity and authentication are critical components to information security when it comes to any consumer, business, or organization. Having a strong authentication system in place ensures that you or your company can access important information securely without fear of a cyberattack or data breach.
Things like two-factor authentication may seem like extra precautions, but these identity authentication methods are often the difference between safe and compromised data and user identities. In this article, we'll touch on the nine best tips for strengthening your authentication framework so that the right people can access the right data.
1. Find the right solution for you
Different organizations in various industries will need different levels of security when it comes to identity authentication. Retail and entertainment businesses might just want a basic, reliable authentication tool that's easy for employees to use, while organizations in the healthcare, government, and defense industries may need top-of-the-line security measures for access control.
Each organization has different security measures. That's why it's important to gauge what type of identity authentication solution would best fit your needs. When searching for access control and authentication tools, factor in the sensitivity level of the data you handle and consider the consequences of a breach. A solution should also work well with your organization's size and employees.
2. Transfer and store data securely
For any person, service or organization, important data should always be sent and stored using secure means. This includes not only information you may handle for consumers or clients, but also vital authentication elements like login credentials, passkeys, and biometric info.
Never store sensitive data in an unencrypted format, and avoid sending vital identity authentication data in a plain-text email or message. Instead, make sure your organization's communication channels and web content adhere to encryption protocols like Transport Layer Security and Secure Sockets Layer. Plus, if things like tokens or session identifiers are kept private, it'll also make it easier to build a robust authentication framework.
3. Account for any access points
This tip has a lot to do with both data security and social engineering, which is the tactic of manipulating or deceiving people to gain access to valuable information or a secure system.
People that use social engineering often ask seemingly innocuous questions about system infrastructure and login credentials, or they'll do things like pose as users trying to recover a lost password. Your organization will have a stronger authentication process if you account for every possible access point in your service, and this includes people trying to gain knowledge about your platform security or login information. Keep track of who has login credentials for your platform, and pay attention to clearance levels if you're working in a high-security industry. Make sure that no unauthorized users or people can access sensitive information by just asking the right questions.
Reduce the potential attack surface by implementing the same identity authentication process for on-site and cloud resources if applicable. This is a hard one, but do what you can to make sure your organization's users and employees aren't susceptible when they're accessing info from different devices like phones, computers, or tablets.
4. Multi-factor authentication is a must
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra login step that ensures unauthorized users or bad actors can't access sensitive data with just a username and password. In addition to regular login info, for instance, users might be asked to confirm the login attempt on another device or provide a code sent to their email. MFA usually makes use of something you know, something you have, or a feature unique to you in order to confirm your identity.
There are many types of multi-factor authentication that vary in security level and ease of use. Biometrics like fingerprints or facial recognition, passkeys, hardware tokens, user certificates, and identity authentication apps all constitute MFA methods. This variety in MFA solutions has led to its adoption as a common authentication practice in countless industries. All in all, using MFA ensures that access is granted only after multiple layers of verification, making it harder for attackers to bypass identity authentication systems.
5. Check and maintain authentication logs
Keeping authentication logs may seem tedious, but they can help identify security vulnerabilities in the event of a data breach. Monitoring logins makes it easy to detect suspicious behavior and help authorized users as well. If a user logs in many times in a short period, or if login information is entered incorrectly several times, this will be recorded on an identity authentication log so that the administrator can take action accordingly. If a bad actor manages to gain access and leak sensitive information, the authentication log will display the corresponding login's time, location and system information, which can be quite important for taking action.
Authentication logs are especially useful for picking up anomalies with a system's verification process as well. Plus, the login frequency that the records display can indicate if a user is trying to gain unauthorized access. On a larger scale, observing patterns with strange login behavior as displayed in authentication logs can be a great way to anticipate cyberattacks before any data is lost. After seeing this trend in the logs, for instance, administrators can escalate the levels of authentication as a safety response.
6. Consider accessibility, maintenance and overhead
There are a few qualities that a good identity authentication system should have. For starters, it should allow administrators to manage users across all devices with relative ease and adjust authentication settings as needed. An authentication framework that's compatible with multiple types of devices is always a plus because it sets a good standard for security.
If login or verification issues arise, it should be easy to communicate with team members or the authentication system's provider to troubleshoot and work towards a fix. As for reporting capabilities, a secure authentication framework should allow devs to highlight system vulnerabilities for others to be aware of, which will reduce the risk of a breach. For your users, identity authentication shouldn't make the login process too tedious or frustrating.
Lastly, a secure authentication system should save time and labor for the price you're paying for it. Any solution that puts strain on other branches of your organization or platform and gives more work to developers and management isn't worth the money.
7. Standards compliance is important
Information security standards are used by countless organizations and services for a reason. They're especially helpful for establishing a process for access control and reducing vulnerabilities. Specifications like ISO 27001 outline a means of building, maintaining and improving authentication frameworks for improved data security.
Other standards like the NIST Cybersecurity Framework educate users on cybersecurity concepts and language, as well as provide important tips for protecting their systems and network from cyberattacks. Sticking to these regulations and other standards when building an identity authentication framework ensures that your organization isn't vulnerable compared to other services and platforms.
8. Regularly review and educate
It helps to educate devs, employees, and even your users on identity authentication risks and encourage them to adopt the safest practices when it comes to securing their data. Your system's vulnerability can be increased by an employee in your organization who isn't knowledgeable or concerned when it comes to information security. That's why you should regularly go over the do's and don'ts of access control with your team. For employees and clients alike, focus on using multi-factor authentication, using strong passwords, never sharing login credentials, and exercising caution when going through the authentication process on public networks.
9. Stay in the know
Cyberattacks continuously occur because attackers and bad actors always devise new ways to exploit or bypass authentication systems. The framework you have in place to protect your data might insulate you now, but it could be faulty in the near future. It always pays to check up on the latest exploits as reported in the field of cybersecurity and keep an eye on the response measures. You can easily make sure your authentication practices are up-to-date this way. Addressing threats and vulnerabilities ahead of time is perfect for strengthening your authentication system and overall application security.
Want to Learn More?
Build a strong identity and authentication system for your apps by exploring the Duende IdentityServer documentation, where you'll find comprehensive guidance on identity and access management solutions for .NET applications.