Technology moves fast, and here at Keeper, we like to keep our customers apprised of new and emerging technologies so that they can adjust their cybersecurity hygiene accordingly.
Fifth-generation wireless technology (5G) is here, and over the next few years, it’s going to gradually replace the current 4G LTE standard. However, many businesses are still confused about what 5G is, what it will do, and how it will impact their cybersecurity protocols. Here’s what your company needs to know.
What’s 5G and What’s the Big Deal About It?
5G is the fifth generation of mobile networking. It’s the successor to 4G LTE, which brought us the era of mobile internet by making reliable, sustained mobile connectivity possible.
5G has many features worth getting excited about. Here are three big ones:
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Speed: 5G promises speeds up to 100 times faster than 4G, fast enough to download a 3D movie in three seconds, as opposed to the six minutes it would take on 4G.
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Network capacity: Due to new capabilities, such as network slicing, 5G will be able to support far more mobile and Internet of Things (IoT) devices than 4G.
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Coverage potential: Right now, mobile networks are not a replacement for traditional Wi-Fi. The extreme speed, ultra-low latency, high reliability, and nearly infinite capacity of 5G will change that, bringing high-speed internet to areas where building Wi-Fi infrastructure isn’t feasible, such as in isolated rural areas.
The Impact of 5G on Identity and Access Management (IAM)
A recent study by AT&T Cybersecurity revealed that nearly all global security leaders are concerned about the security impacts of 5G, particularly IAM in a world where more users and devices will be accessing corporate networks from more locations than ever before. A zero-trust security model, where every user has delegated, assigned, and controlled access (or not) to enterprise systems, will help alleviate the IAM challenges that 5G will cause, and 68% of respondents stated that they have either already implemented zero-trust security or are in the process of doing so.
However, the overwhelming majority of data breaches begin with stolen or compromised passwords. Without robust password management and security, enterprises cannot be sure that the users accessing their networks are who they appear to be, and the zero-trust model falls apart. Securing enterprise passwords requires implementing and enforcing a password policy that includes:
With this in mind, it is concerning that only 35% of respondents to the AT&T study reported having implemented identity governance and privileged access management in their enterprises, and only 33% were using Two-Factor Authentication (2FA).
While the AT&T study did not ask about password policies or password manager use, a Ponemon study of SMB cybersecurity commissioned by Keeper last fall provides insight: Half of respondents reported having no policy on employee password use. Of companies that did report having a policy, only 32% strictly enforced it and required the use of a password manager
We’re Here to Help You Get Ready For 5G
Keeper’s Business and Enterprise password management solutions will help keep your company ahead of new IAM challenges when the 5G rollout is complete, as well as protect you against password-related cyber attacks in the interim. Keeper is used by thousands of companies all over the world to prevent password-related data breaches, improve productivity, and enforce user authentication and access protocols, with industry-leading features such as:
- Exclusive, proprietary zero-knowledge security model; we cannot access your users’ master passwords, nor can we access your encryption keys to decrypt your data
- Three-in-one solution for small businesses; use Keeper as your password manager, Single Sign-On (SSO) and PAM
- Ease of use for both IT admins and end-users; rapid deployment on all devices with no upfront equipment or installation costs
- Personalized onboarding and 24/7 support and training from a dedicated support specialist
- Support for RBAC, 2FA, auditing, event reporting, and multiple compliance standards, including HIPAA, DPA, FINRA, CCPA, and GDPR
- Easy integration with SSO; no need for separate logins
- Secure storage for sensitive files, documents, photos, and videos on unlimited devices
- Private vaults for each employee, plus shared folders, subfolders, and passwords for teams
- Complete flexibility; whether your organization is a tiny startup or a multinational enterprise, Keeper scales to the size of your business