Whether for work or pleasure, most people don’t leave home without it. This demand for constant convenience and connectivity has led to the development of new and innovative applications that appear on the market nearly every day. In this always on, connected society, we are able to request a car even when we don’t know where we are, check into a hotel room by walking into the lobby, or simply pay without interacting with a salesperson. But this era of connectivity comes with a new set of challenges.
Mobile devices have made our lives easier. Of course, with this convenient connectivity comes new challenges for cyber and data security. To help protect their businesses and customers, companies are beginning to make mobile security a priority. Yet, many are unsure of the best way to proceed and, in the absence of a better solution, implement an outdated mechanism for authentication— user names and passwords.
A better, more secure user experience lies in the power of Big Data. By leveraging information from customer phones and applications, companies can deliver greater ease of use and security in their authentication process. Mobile devices and applications allow companies to capture significant, relevant insights into users through phone numbers, geo-location, network connections, and other information. Each data point can be useful to create a more secure authentication process. But data alone is not enough. This information must be captured and interpreted to flag suspicious behavior and provide greater assurance.