Building vs. Buying Guide: An Identity Management Solution for the Media Industry!

Introduction

As technology advances and consumer behaviour changes, so do media companies' security concerns. Media companies must safeguard their subscribers' information and ensure that their websites are user-friendly and secure These issues can be addressed with the help of a consumer identity management solution

However, many businesses are unsure whether it is better to build or buy a consumer identity management solution This guide will explain why building your own CIAM isn't always the best option for your company and provide useful use cases that show why some companies chose to build while others chose to buy

Why Do Media Businesses Need an Identity Management Solution

Identity management is the administration of individual identification and authorization within an enterprise or network Identity management solutions assist businesses in defining what a user can do within a specific network, with a specific device, and under specific circumstances.

As subscribers log in to media websites and entertainment platforms using various devices, media organizations require secure, flexible, and dependable approaches to improve user experience While certain regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA, have had an impact on how publishers and media organizations use data, they can mitigate those risks while improving their services by utilizing identity management solutions.

Media Use Cases for Consumer Identity Management

Understanding the importance of CIAM in the media industry through various use cases

1. Single Sign-On (SSO)

SSO is perhaps the most compelling reason for any company to implement an identity management solution for their web platform. Assume a user signs up for an OTT platform to watch his or her favorite movies or shows using their email account so they don't have to remember the login credentials As a subscriber, the user can access the content on that platform once he or she has signed up.

Now, the same user wants to subscribe to another service provided by the same vendor, for which he or she does not need to create a new account and can simply log in with the same credentials

2. Multi-Factor Authentication

By requiring more than one form of identification before granting access to an account, multi-factor authentication (MFA) helps a business reduce the risk of a security breach MFA is most commonly used to require users to verify their identity with something they have and something they know.

For example, when logging into your email or social media accounts, you may be asked to enter a password followed by a code sent to your phone via text message. Because cybercriminals do not have access to both pieces of information, they find it more difficult to gain access to your sensitive information.

3. Session Management

A ciam solution may include session management features that improve the user experience

For example, if there is no activity from the user's end, the platform may log the user out after a certain time interval.

Additionally, refresh tokens can be generated for users after a specific time interval, providing a fresh access token for signing in. The overall mechanism works in tandem to provide a rich user experience while maintaining security throughout the session

Conclusion

The use of carefree CIAM solutions will help businesses to implement compliance standards, develop a robust data-driven culture that allows users to access the rich set of content on any device, and provide the customers with a seamless experience