After the massive breach at Equifax, businesses and private users alike are panicking over the security of their online profiles. Be it tax information, social security numbers, addresses, and other identifying data, the transition of file keeping from ink and paper to the digital world has opened up a dark and malicious industry dedicated to preying on networks, led by criminal groups and malicious, rogue individuals. Likewise, it has also created an industry for tech security experts to offer solutions for identity management and data protection.
CyberScout, a network security firm based in Scottsdale, Arizona has demonstrated what may become the new industry standard in offering identity management services. The company opened CyberScout HQ, an online marketplace where users and businesses can purchase both services and educational programs regarding fraud protection, online safety, cyber crime, and most importantly, identity management. In light of the Equifax hack, it’s likely that CyberScout HQ will mostly resonate with businesses, though the company does hope that households and other non-commercial users will make use of the marketplace.
The Hawaii State Federal Credit Union is the first major partner for the service, so there is clearly some industry interest in the idea, specifically in the world of finance. The credit union is offering the protection for free as a standard feature of all customer accounts, which should simplify implementation by using it as a blanket solution rather than having patrons opt-in on a voluntary basis. As part of the launch, the primary features offered are a cloud-based password vault and a web browser extension designed to rank sites based on their level of security. Similar software can be had elsewhere, but to have it rolled in as part of opening an account is a unique way of generating interest in security among regular users.
Whether the service is any good, however, it’s simply too early to say. The world of identity management is a growing industry, with concerns ranging from the average citizen all the way up to governments. What matters, however, is that the network security industry is finally responding with easily scaled and made to order solutions for private individual networks, large scale corporate networks, and possibly even government tech infrastructure. Having centralized security measures available on a centralized marketplace is a necessary resource for organizations that rely on data centers for sensitive data storage. If anything, CyberScout’s model is an important proof of concept that other cyber security experts will hopefully adopt to offer their own identity management software and services.
