Public awareness of ID security grows, but big obstacles remain

Recent high-profile cyber attacks and data breaches have raised awareness of security issues among the general public, but have also caused increased stress. According to a study by identity specialist Okta, 93% of consumers are worried about digital identity theft.

Okta surveyed over 4,000 European consumers and found that 54% of respondents had become more aware of their digital footprint in the past year. The increase in cyber attacks (39%) and the growth of artificial intelligence (28%) were cited as the main reasons for this heightened awareness.

Concerns about artificial intelligence were also expressed by respondents, with 56% believing it was making the online environment less safe and 59% thinking it was increasing the likelihood of attacks targeting digital identities. These worries were most pronounced in France.

Matt Ellard, senior vice-president and general manager for EMEA at Okta, emphasized the importance of identity in the digital world and the need for businesses to strengthen their security strategies to combat identity-based attacks.

Okta aims to lead by example and share its experiences and best practices to help businesses and consumers protect themselves against cyber attacks. Ellard stressed the importance of collaboration to enhance cybersecurity measures.