IAM Trends and Changes in the Asia Pacific Region

Date: 2022-07-14
Author: Gabriela Peralta, Public Relations & Marketing

How do you see the implementation of PKI in the region?

We are seeing a fast adoption of PKI in government sectors. And as with any new technology, there are a few hurdles. In the eyes of employees who are currently using One-Time Passwords (OTP) to authenticate, the change to PKI technology demands a higher level of responsibility. OTP are many times received with their own smartphones, Of the top 10 countries in the world with the highest smartphone penetration, five of them are in the APAC region.

Many governments have selected hardware-based PKI. An additional element not part of daily life, something extra to safely keep and carry. We have all been guilty at some point of compromising security for comfort.

Using an external device to authenticate seems difficult to the end-user at first, when the exact opposite is true. Hardware-based PKI has been successful across many regions in the world. It provides a smooth user experience and the highest level of authentication technology. OTP ranks as one of the lowest levels of authentication technology and can lead to user fatigue and can be easily hacked via multiple methods, including social engineering, phishing, and others.

When it comes to hardware-based PKI, users haven’t fully understood the power they now hold in their hands and both government and enterprises have.

Where are we seeing the biggest pull toward stronger Authentication?

Companies from every industry and organization are noticing scams, data breaches, and phishing attacks growing steadily. They realize the impact bad actors can have on any organization’s bottom line, no matter the size, and the necessity for a proper and secure authentication framework.

Once an organization decides to upgrade their security authentication with PKI technology, the next step is to connect with their security infrastructure and identity and access management tools and policies. vSEC:CMS is a game-changer for the PKI ecosystem.

How do you see Versasec being a leader in the sector of IAM?

Versasec not only partners with the leading technologies, but also with regional leaders in the cybersecurity space. Some of our partners include DT Asia, ICONS, and Knit Technologies. Together we are creating momentum towards PKI adoption. We are committed to increasing the security level at organizations, corporations, and government sectors.

As Hann Ming, CEO of Knit Technologies, describes our company, “Versasec is fast and flexible to the evolving needs of the customer”. For our competitors, it’s not easy to evolve their products. This is appealing to customers. Customers notice and are excited with Versasec’s quarterly product releases.

We are a unique solution provider in the IAM sector. With every product update, it opens the door to introducing our product to many new prospects and new market segments. We become attractive to professionals whose needs we were not meeting before.

Conclusion

Versasec continues to be a driving force worldwide, gaining a first-hand understanding of key players, obstacles, moving forces, and opportunities. Being in the region with decades of experience, Chin Jien Lau and Paul Rajkumar lead the Versasec office in the APAC region, working closely with our partners.

To continue the conversation and to learn more about certificate-based authentication, our credential management system, zero trust, PKI, MFA, and how Versasec can help, reach out for a conversation. We’d love to hear from you!

About CJ & Paul

Chin Jien Lau is a Technical Consultant at Versasec. He is based out of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with Paul Rajkumar, Business Development Engineer in Business Development at Versasec. Both lead Versasec efforts in the Asia Pacific office with 31 years of combined experience in the Technology industry.