Poor identity management makes it easier for cybercriminals to launch attacks

New research from identity security specialist One Identity shows that 95 percent of companies report challenges managing identities.

In addition 84 percent say that the number of identities they're managing has more than doubled, which means they have too many identities and credentials to keep track of, leaving holes within their network, evidenced by only 12 percent of security professionals being fully confident they can prevent a credential-based attack.

The survey of over 1,000 IT security pros worldwide shows that half of all companies use more than 25 different systems to manage access rights, with more than one in five using more than 100 different systems. It's no surprise then that almost two thirds of respondents say that a unified platform would help streamline identity management.

The problem with managing identity security in silos is that it leads to significant levels of complexity and risk. According to the study 85 percent of organizations have employees with more privileged access than they need, making it easier for bad actors to exploit unknowing internal stakeholders to gain access.

"Virtually every day we see a new cyber incident make headlines, in large part because organizations are managing more identities than ever before and because they are unable to attain a 360-degree view of all their identities -- which creates gaps, inconsistencies, and expands windows of exposure," says Bhagwat Swaroop, president and general manager, One Identity. "We've seen first hand that a holistic identity management strategy is a proven way for organizations to optimize visibility, control and protection."

Half of the respondents to the study state that an end-to-end unification of identities and accounts is needed to better respond to evolving market conditions.

The full report is available from the One Identity site.

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