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Most organizations need to manage IT systems, applications, critical data, and a large number of user accounts within the organization. In particular, system administrators and personnel with privileged access to critical systems and sensitive data require these access privileges to perform system administration tasks. Without proper control, these privileges may be misused or allow unauthorized users to gain access to critical systems and sensitive data. Privileged Access Management (PAM) helps control the use of privileged accounts while enhancing the security of an organization’s systems and critical data.
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What is Privileged Access Management?
Privileged Access Management (PAM) is a data security solution that helps control, monitor, and protect the use of privileged accounts, including administrator and network administrator accounts. These accounts pose a high level of risk because malicious actors who compromise them can gain access to almost every part of an organization’s systems. PAM securely stores passwords, enforces automatic password rotation, and records all access activities to help prevent data leakage.
Why Are Privileged Accounts at Risk?
Privileged Accounts are accounts that can manage an organization’s backend systems, including Admin, Root, and Service Accounts. These accounts can be compared to a master key that provides access to critical systems and sensitive organizational data. They pose a high level of risk because if they are compromised, they may lead to data theft, malware deployment, or system disruption, resulting in damage to business operations and the organization’s reputation.
If you are unsure whether your organization is showing signs that it is time to implement PAM to improve the security of privileged account management, you can read more in our article, “5 Signs Your Organization Should Start Implementing PAM Seriously.”
In this article, we will introduce the three key features of PAM that help organizations protect privileged accounts and reduce security risks more effectively.
3 Essential PAM Features for Protecting Privileged Accounts
Privileged Access Management (PAM) plays an important role in controlling and protecting privileged accounts through features that help reduce risks and enhance organizational security. Although PAM solutions offer a wide range of features, most PAM solutions include three key features that help improve organizational security, as follows.
Feature 1 Credential Vaulting
Credential Vaulting is the secure storage of privileged account passwords in a highly protected repository. It also supports automatic password rotation. The system changes passwords according to predefined policies, such as requiring passwords to be changed every 30 days or immediately after each use, to prevent password reuse or the disclosure of passwords to unauthorized individuals.
Users do not know the actual passwords. In addition, Password Masking is applied. When an administrator needs to remotely access a system, the PAM system automatically establishes the connection through a web interface or a dedicated application without revealing the actual password to the user.
This feature acts as a secure vault that stores all privileged account passwords and encryption keys in a protected location.
Example Use Case
A company has 10 employees sharing the same administrator password. When one employee leaves the company, the Credential Vaulting feature automatically changes the password after each use, preventing the former employee from accessing the system.
Feature 2 Session Recording & Monitoring
Session Recording & Monitoring is one of the key features of PAM. It functions like a surveillance camera by recording and monitoring all activities performed during the use of privileged accounts. These activities include user logins, command execution, file modifications, and access to sensitive data. The system records detailed activity logs, allowing organizations to review them when abnormal events occur.
The system can also generate real-time alerts when suspicious activities are detected and immediately terminate the session if abnormal behavior is identified. This feature increases transparency in the use of privileged accounts, reduces the risk of inappropriate use, and enables organizations to quickly identify the cause of security incidents or operational issues.
Example Use Case
If an employee modifies the configuration of a critical server, the Session Recording & Monitoring feature records all activities performed during the session. If abnormal behavior is detected, the system immediately generates an alert while maintaining a complete record of every action, which can be used as evidence for legal proceedings.
Feature 3 Just-In-Time Access
Just-In-Time Access is a feature that grants system access only when necessary and only for a specified period of time, instead of providing permanent access. Once the approved period expires, the granted privilege is automatically revoked.
This feature helps reduce the risk of privileged accounts remaining active in the system for extended periods. Typically, the process begins when a user submits an access request, specifying the reason and the required duration. An authorized approver then reviews and approves the request, after which the system grants temporary access based on the approved request. This also prevents users from retaining privileged access when it is no longer required.
Example Use Case
If an employee needs to access a critical database to resolve an urgent issue, the Just-In-Time Access feature can grant access for one hour as requested. Once the task is completed or the approved time expires, the granted privilege is automatically revoked, preventing privileged accounts from remaining active in the system unnecessarily.
How Does PAM Help Organizations?
Implementing Privileged Access Management (PAM) helps organizations manage privileged accounts in a structured manner, from controlling access privileges and securely storing credentials to monitoring user activities. It also strengthens the security of IT systems. The key benefits of PAM include the following.
- Helps Control and Protect Privileged Accounts
PAM enables organizations to define and control access privileges for privileged accounts based on users’ roles and responsibilities. It also protects credentials by storing them in a highly secure repository, reducing the need to share administrator accounts and minimizing the risk of privileged accounts being used without authorization.
- Reduces the Risk of Unauthorized Access
PAM supports granting access only when necessary and for a specified period of time. Once the approved period expires, access privileges are automatically revoked. This helps reduce the risk of privileged accounts remaining active in the system longer than necessary and minimizes the possibility of unauthorized users accessing critical systems or sensitive data.
- Helps Prevent Sensitive Data Leakage
PAM securely stores passwords and credentials while enforcing automatic password rotation based on predefined policies. This helps reduce the risk of password exposure, password reuse, and unauthorized use of sensitive information.
- Increases Transparency in User Activity Monitoring
PAM records and monitors activities performed during the use of privileged accounts, such as user logins, command execution, and file modifications. This enables organizations to perform detailed audits and helps analyze incidents when abnormal activities occur.
- Reduces the Impact of Cyber Threats and Human Errors
By controlling access, monitoring user activities, and assigning privileges appropriately, organizations can reduce the risk of damage caused by cyberattacks as well as human errors. As a result, critical systems and sensitive data remainbetter protected.
In summary, PAM enables organizations to manage privileged accounts in a structured manner, reduce the risk of unauthorized access, and enhance the security of critical systems and sensitive data.
Why Choose PAM from BMSP?
Implementing a PAM solution is not just about installing software. It also requires proper planning and system design by experienced professionals to ensure the solution aligns with each organization’s operational requirements.
If your organization is still sharing administrator passwords, allowing multiple users to share privileged accounts, unable to clearly audit user activities, lacking secure password storage, lacking proper access control based on necessity, or not maintaining activity records for auditing purposes, BMSP is ready to help.
Backed by extensive cybersecurity experience, BMSP delivers solutions from leading technology vendors. Our team listens to your organization’s requirements, designs, and implements a Privileged Access Management (PAM) solution that meets your operational needs while strengthening the security standards of your IT environment.
Contact BMSP today for expert consultation and discover the PAM solution that best fits your organization.
