We use our digital identities in order to access all sorts of things. Our finances, our work accounts, our social media platforms – all of these online zones typically require some kind of digital identity verification. Here are a few reasons why you should take the security of your digital identity seriously.
We Live in a Networked Society
We are living in a digital age. Arguably the biggest social revolution in the 21st century has centered around our use of the internet. The internet has affected our politics, our myriad understandings of the truth, and our very sense of self.
One of the great anxieties of the digital age is concerned with a fear of loss of identity. How can we trust people to be who they say they are when we primarily interact with digital representations of that person? How can we fully control our own actions when the power to act as ourselves can be stolen and our voices hijacked? These are big, scary questions. Securing your digital identity can provide some comfort amongst all of this uncertainty.
It Can Be Compromised
A digital identity can be compromised in many ways. Phishing, malware and keylogging can all be used to gather information used to steal and manipulate a digital identity. When Russian hackers gained access to the Democratic National Committee email database, they allegedly did so by using phishing emails to steal password information – a form of digital identity.
The fact that digital identities can be compromised should not make you leave the internet or take your company offline. Instead, it is worth investing in a multilayered digital security system. The race will never end: as digital security systems become harder to breach, hackers will find workarounds. In turn, security systems will improve. The name of the game is staying a couple of steps ahead when it comes to protecting your digital identity or the digital identities of your employees.
It Is Linked to Your Finances
Do you use online banking? PayPal? Do you pay your bills online? You are undoubtedly using some form of digital identity verification when using any financial services accessed through the internet. Digital identity authentication services are, thankfully, becoming far more advanced and hard to cheat. It won’t be long before biometric identification processes are used by online banks and payment services. Until then, use good old-fashioned common sense: loose lips sink ships. Don’t give away any passwords by carelessly using easy-to-guess words or strings of numbers related to your age or your family.
Employers Rely Upon It
Employers rely upon digital identity authentication to make sure that their workers are who they say they are. If your digital identity is compromised, your employer might find their intellectual property, data, or even payroll is no longer safe. This can put employees in a bit of a tight spot. Many employers are now using multi-layered authentication processes to ensure that their employees working remotely are who they say they are.
