ID authentication more important with rise of internet-enabled devices

With more devices than ever giving people the ability to connect to the internet, the need for identity authentication while using these items has become increasingly important. At one recent event in Australia, Microsoft's chief technology officer, Norm Judah, said that the increase in communication capabilities exposed users and businesses to risks they weren't previously forced to deal with. Speaking at the company's Tech.Ed event in Gold Coast, Judah said that the typical home these days had more than a dozen devices that were connected to the internet. "The number of IP (Internet Protocol) endpoints in the network is growing exponentially, because in your homes today, you probably have anywhere from 16 to 20 devices that communicate with someone. Each one of those devices has an IP address," he said. "The explosion that we're seeing today in terms of sensor-based networks and connected networks is going to have significant impacts in terms on the work that we need to do around security, access and control." Companies can protect client data by using identity authentication technology. The up-front costs will be minimal compared to the potential lawsuits that can stem from a major data breach.