Cybersecurity has become a vital part of running a business or government institution around the globe. Various factors have contributed to the continual rise of online crimes for years, allowing fraudsters to leverage technological advancements. Investing in modern device-based authentication has constantly grown, especially in the public sector, where swindlers would look to take advantage of traditional digital security processes.
The importance of stringent measures in the modern world led to the US government implementing a “zero trust” approach in cybersecurity. This helps them guarantee that internal and external threat is in check and would not be able to complete a successful attack on private networks. Moreover, this will also enable them to help private enterprises keep their servers well-protected from persistent attacks from hackers.
At the forefront of modern cybersecurity solutions that institutions can deploy is biometrics, which uses an individual’s fingerprints, voice, iris, or facial structure to authenticate a user. Deploying mobile facial biometric verification on digital government platforms can provide users with a robust and quick authentication process. This can replace legacy systems, such as knowledge-based credentials, which are already deemed vulnerable to attacks.
Having a replacement for weak and old online security software is also what one provision of President Joe Biden’s 2021 Executive Order aims to do. Executive Order 14028 to improve the nation’s cybersecurity led to multiple agencies directing abandoned legacy systems that can no longer support data security. For example, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in their 2022 memo, ordered to discontinue using methods that fail against phishing and other forms of digital attacks.
Furthermore, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has warned about using SMS for out-of-band authentication. This is when online platforms require users to use a one-time code sent through SMS whenever they sign into their accounts. Also, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has called for organizations and private citizens to take a more aggressive approach when it comes to digital data protection.
The government’s efforts to bolster the nation’s cybersecurity can also be helpful against attacks coming in from outsiders. Conflicts with other government administrations can trigger cybercriminals from different countries to attack networks of both public and private institutions from their opposing nation. For example, the US government’s sanctions on Russia after they invaded Ukraine have led to a whopping 800% increase in Russian-backed digital attacks in just a matter of a few days.
To learn more about how facial biometrics can help protect America’s infrastructure from cyberattacks, check this article provided by authID.