Consumers and businesses: 9 ways to protect user identities

The social networking sites gaining in popularity, the risk of his identity stolen is higher than ever, said Dr. Taher Elgamal, Axway Security Consultant. These are the main consumers and businesses can take to protect their identity and their users on social networking sites and others.

We recommend that consumers:

1. Create unique passwords and complex. It is recommended that you create passwords composed of sets of numbers, letters and symbols of any kind and never use the same password on multiple sites.

2. Using a mobile application vault passwords for easy Recommendation 1. A mobile application safe password allows you to automatically generate unique passwords to twenty or thirty characters, consisting of sets of numbers, letters and symbols impossible to remember. It is possible to secure the safe using a PIN to mobile phone, instantly creating two levels of protection.

3. Change your passwords frequently. Even if your password is well thought disclosed in any way (on a phishing social networking site, for example), it ensures that nobody can use it for long.

4. Check often accounts. Log on regularly to all your social networking sites and make sure no sending e-mail, update status, or other activity unexpectedly appears.

5. Use of identity management. Services according to your identity, such as Reputation.com and LifeLock.com, you can contact in case of identity theft. This step is essential to minimize potential impacts.

6. Never click on links in emails or messages. If you click on this link, never enter your username and password once on the site, although it seems a familiar social networking site.


We recommend companies to:

1. Offer their users a form of double authentication or two-factor authentication. Companies offering to send an SMS to the mobile phone of a user part of the login process, greatly enhance user safety.

2. Protect the identifiers of their employees. When they connect to a VPN, employees often use passwords from their favorite social networks. If a hacker intercepted and associates the employee to the employer, it can access the entire corporate network.

3. Promote a single connectivity solution for Single Sign On. Many SSO solutions can store passwords in encrypted form and automatically discourage employees from using their password on the business social networking sites and others. Take advantage of these solutions.

Identity theft is a reality of our modern society. However, if consumers and businesses follow the recommendations above, users can enjoy the benefits of social networks without jeopardizing their digital identity.