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Identity is Security: Privacy Pains Part 2

Is there a bounty on privacy? That’s the question we asked you a few months back after exploring SailPoint CMO Juliette Rizkallah’s Forbes article on the rising use of smart technology in our home. This time around, we are taking it a step further and talking about a different kind of privacy—this time with consumer data. In Juliette’s latest Forbes article, she says today with regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and other worldwide data privacy laws, governments regulate and control the use of personal information by companies. These regulations provide consumers with a new right: the right to be forgotten and a new power to counter today’s abundance of marketing messages, mostly through email. Does this mean it’s the end of mass marketing as we know it? Not likely, but we are continually reminded to strike a balance between privacy, marketing, and our smart devices as we continue to evolve to stay secure.

And to continue on this privacy train, this ZDNet article caught my eye when it states that three-quarters of mobile apps have a security vulnerability that could put our personal data at risk. Sound familiar? Again, as I mentioned earlier, the rising use of smart technology in the home, coupled with the ever-present mobile device in hand, is sparking concerns about who has access to our personal data and what they are doing with it. Staying informed on what areas of exposure we each have when it comes to our personal data and how open we are to sharing that data on the many pieces of technology we each use in our day-to-day lives, should help us stay more secure. Awareness, as they say, is key.

And here at home, I’m always so pleased to share with you our amazing customer success stories. Our latest blog post by our resident blogger George Hulme takes a look at the City of Boston and their approach to identity. The City of Boston is the most populous city in New England—and is a strong economic and cultural force. Protecting the identities of government workers is necessary to ensure that schools, public safety, social services, and more keep thriving. The City can now determine quickly who has access to what applications and services, as well as determine if that access is within its security policy, as well as automatic provisioning and de-provisioning its accounts (a win-win). With the recent headlines of cities across the country paying ransom to hackers who lock their computer systems, having an identity strategy in place is critical. With identity under their belt, the City can now keep going strong with its 8.2 million residents. Music to my ears!

With that, we leave you to wrap up your week. Let us know what security stories caught your eye.


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