What is a Digital Identity?
A digital identity is equally important to a physical identity in the real world, except that it exists in the digital landscape. Just like in the real world, when opening a bank account, renting a car, buying an insurance, you need to present your identity card for the respected parties to confirm your identity, so that they can confirm you are who you claim to be.
The same goes for any business that has established a presence on the Internet. Website visitors need an assurance for the business’s digital identity, and that they are truly dealing with the real authentic business. They need safety indicators to be sure that they are not dealing with some fraudsters or scammers, pretending to be the business entity and tricking them into submitting their private and confidential information. In fact, businesses which do not have a secured digital identity is one of the many causes for the alarming rate of cybersecurity incidents that took place in recent years.
The crucial point here is, all businesses must place protecting their digital identity as a main priority and a core business process to protect themselves, as well as their customers online. We outline below the importance of protecting digital identity.
The Importance of Protecting Digital Identity
Build a strong brand reputation, trust and credibility
Businesses which have a secured digital identity are more likely to score more merit points from users, which will help to build a better brand reputation, a higher trust level from customers and a higher level of credibility. Many customers are now increasingly more aware of cybercrimes and consider their online safety as an important factor before performing any online transactions with any business.
A secured and protected digital identity helps businesses to send safety indicators to potential customers. These signals serve as a powerful way to encourage customers confidence that the business is real, and they can safely perform any form of transactions with it online, knowing that their data is in safe hands.
Business owners must take securing digital identity seriously, because the brand reputation, trust and credibility are at stake here. There is this saying by Warren Buffett:
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.”
Businesses which keep this in mind will then start to view securing a digital identity differently.
Prevent fraud cases and brand theft
Businesses who protect their digital identity enjoy a lower risk of cyberattacks. We all know very well that cyberattacks are happening frequently around the world, as they have appeared in news headlines a lot. It is safe to say that cybersecurity risk is inherent as long as the business uses any form of Information Technology (IT) to operate the business, such as using the Internet, send/receive emails, owns a website, selling online or using any forms of software.
All of these lie hidden risks that can be exploited by ill-intentioned individuals to perform criminal activities, examples which include using the business’s name to perform email frauds and phishing activities, or pretending to be the brand to scam unsuspecting individuals of their confidential information or monetary gains. Some criminals also carry out brand theft activities, to the extent of even making near perfect copies of brand websites to deceive the general public to perform financial transactions.
These examples show how crucial it is for businesses to take steps to protect their digital identity. It is in the best interest of business owners to ensure that their brands are not being taken advantage by scammers and fraudsters. Protect digital identity to prevent fraud cases and brand theft, which will hurt a brand’s reputation.
Businesses protect themselves, their customers and their private information
A secured digital identity also helps businesses to protect themselves, as well as their customers and their private information. It ensures the process of data exchange is completed correctly and prevents malicious hijacking by hackers and evil players. Data exchange can exist in the form of email and documents exchange, email exchange, software exchange or even the connectivity of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The outcome of securing digital identity is that it can help businesses to save themselves from a lot of headaches and troubles that might arise from digital security issues.
For example, the first and foremost is the business’s identity. With a secured digital identity well in place, any business can inform its contacts that every single dealing is strictly true and authentic only if these signs are present. Else, all others are false or pretenders. Such a way can be implemented on websites, emails, documents and software programs. Doing so can help to educate customers to exchange data with only approved individuals or entities, thus preventing them from submitting data to unauthorised parties. In a way, a secured digital identity protects them and their private information, too.
It is without doubt that business owners must understand the importance of securing digital identity for their businesses, and that it must be placed as a core process of running a business. It will definitely save them a lot of time and money down the road, when it comes to dealing with digital security issues.
DigiCert Offers a Comprehensive and All-round Protection to Businesses
DigiCert, a world-renowned Certificate Authority (CA), offers a wide range of tool and tactics to secure businesses and help them protect their customers. A digital identity protection can be achieved in the following aspects, and DigiCert offers solutions for each of them.
Email & Document Security
Businesses deal with a lot of emails and documents in their operations. They are a necessity in ensuring a smooth operation for businesses. However, they also pose a security risk which might compromise a business’s digital identity.
DigiCert offers a solution of personal certificate. It enhances security by implementing documents and emails digital signing. Employees use their personal digital sign to notify receivers of the authenticity of the documents. It also comes with email encryption, in which only the intended receiver has the decryption to open and view the contents.
Software Security
Businesses now operate in a highly digitalised space, and make use of many different software for work efficiency. Software is like a car and must be routinely maintained and updated to solve bugs and errors. However, there lies a risk in which hackers can hijack the maintenance and upload malicious code and malware.
DigiCert offers a solution of code signing certificates. These kinds of certificates inform users that the update is authentic, and they can safely download and execute it. The developer has digitally signed the code to protect the integrity of the code, and that it has not been tampered with.
Website Security
Businesses use websites to establish their online presence. They are equivalent to the lifeblood of their digital identity. However, as mentioned before, hackers can create a near perfect duplicate of the websites to scam and fraud unsuspecting individuals.
DigiCert offers a solution of TLS/SSL Certificates to secure business websites. Read here to understand the importance of SSL Certificates. Having these certificates is like shouting to the public, this website here is the true website, as its owner has been reviewed and authenticated by us. That is why you see this TLS/SSL Certificate stating the identity of the website owner. All others are imposers and you should not deal with them.
There is a wide range of SSL Certificates on the market. Read here to understand how to choose the right SSL Certificate for your website.
Internet of Things (IoT) Security
The human race is entering the IoT era where more devices than ever are interconnected with each other to work together and make life better and more convenient. Imagine smart devices, self-driving cars, smart homes, public connectivity all interconnected. Millions of connectivity will be implemented and how should we secure them from hackers.
DigiCert offers a solution to create and manage millions of IoT certificates for all the devices, from a single platform. How convenient is that! No more human errors from managing them. Trust in a machine, not a human!
The illustration below is a summary of DigiCert’s comprehensive and all-round protection for businesses in the digital landscape.
Conclusion
Protecting digital identity should be treated as a vital business process and has to be taken seriously by business owners. With an increasing number of cybercrime cases and online fraud cases, businesses cannot ignore this risk and must be prepared always to protect themselves and their digital identity in the vast Internet landscape.
At WebNIC, with the assistance from DigiCert as our valuable partner, we are always advocating to enhance web security. We offer a comprehensive and all-round digital identity protection to businesses, including protection of website, email, documents, software and IoT devices. If you need any digital identity protection solution, we are always here to help.
We are also looking for interested partners to be a part of us to stand strong with us to build awareness for web security and to make the Internet a better place for all. Come join us and DigiCert now!
About WebNIC
WebNIC is an accredited registrar for ICANN, and various countries including Asia, Europe, America, Australasia, and Africa. With offices in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Taipei and Jakarta, we serve 5,000+ active resellers over 70 countries. To join us and become a reseller, live chat with us or email us at inquiry@webnic.cc.