What Is Privileged Access Management?

Privileged access management is a cybersecurity framework that secures, controls, and monitors high-level administrative accounts and access to an organization’s most crucial systems and resources.

Key takeaways

• PAM "superuser" accounts (e.g., root, domain, admin) are stored in an encrypted repository or vault to minimize risk.
• Privileged access is authenticated and logged, and sessions can be recorded or audited.
• PAM IT security gives organizations greater control over privileged access to safeguard their operations.

What are privileged accounts?

Today, most organizations employ role-based access policies to reduce the risk of credential misuse and data breaches, no matter what PAM technologies they implement. The level of access granted to regular user accounts typically provides only the minimum permissions needed to perform assigned job functions and is restricted to specific applications and resources.

 

Privileged accounts have greater access than ordinary ones, whether connecting to on-premise servers or applications and systems in the cloud. Some privileged accounts, like those for IT admins, can perform high-level functions necessary for configuration or maintenance. 

 

Privileges can include security overrides or the ability to shut down systems and load device drivers. Privileged users may also be responsible for developing an app or handling a third-party integration. In addition to abilities to execute specific tasks, privileges can facilitate access to sensitive digital resources or proprietary information. Hackers often target privileged accounts to exfiltrate data or inflict damage.

Types of privileged accounts

PAM solutions secure and manage multiple privileged account types, each with specific functions and features:

 

Emergency accounts

• Temporary elevated access for urgent “break glass” situations
• Not usually tied to individual identities
• Strict access controls, monitoring, and logging to detect misuse
• Requires multi-factor authentication (MFA) and approval workflows

 

Local administrative accounts

• Provides host-level or instance-level access
• Used for local system configuration and maintenance
• Often shared by multiple IT staff
• High risk due to potential password sharing and accidental damage
• Requires unique credentials per system and strict rotation policies

 

Administrative accounts

• Also called “admin” or “root” accounts
• Provides elevated system-level access across environments
• Used for infrastructure management and maintenance
• Requires unique credentials per admin
• Subject to regular access reviews and monitoring

 

Application accounts

• Enables non-human application-to-application communication
• Used for automated processes and integrations
• High-risk target due to credential storage within plain text files
• Requires strong authentication

 

Service accounts

• Used to execute applications in operation systems
• Makes authenticated API calls and system operations
• Platform-specific implementations vary
• Needs automated lifecycle management
• Exploited by hackers to gain remote access

 

Domain accounts

• Controls enterprise-wide resource access
• Can modify domain-level server configurations and admin accounts
• Requires the most robust security controls
• Subject to separation of duties (SOD)

 

Privileged user accounts

• Role-based elevated permissions
• Can have admin rights on local machines and systems
• Time-bound access where possible
• Should have regular certification and review
• Use activity logging and monitoring to avoid misuse

 

Security controls for all privileged accounts:

• Just-in-time access (JIT)
• MFA
• Session monitoring
• Automated password rotation
• Access request workflows
• Regular entitlement reviews

Why is privileged access management necessary?

PAM prevents unauthorized access to critical systems and data through privileged account compromise, a leading cause of breaches. By limiting and isolating privileged access, an organization reduces its attack surface.

 

With threat vectors, it’s important to remember that insider threats, for commercial gain or other reasons, usually occur when employees, partners, and contractors seek to abuse susceptible data or system access granted to them through their privileges. Insider attackers already have some awareness of where everything is, whereas external attackers might have a greater “dwell time” as they plot their next move. External hackers can present themselves as insiders once they compromise accounts through phishing, credential stuffing, or other means.

 

Internal attacks

• Insider threats typically emerge from employees, partners, and contractors with access to systems and data through their granted privileges.
• These actors leverage existing knowledge of systems and data locations to carry out attacks for commercial gain or other motivations.
• The attack surface expands due to insiders already having awareness and access to sensitive resources.

 

External attacks

• External hackers often require longer “dwell time” within systems as they plot their next move.
• Attackers can present themselves as legitimate insiders after compromising accounts through techniques like phishing and credential stuffing.
• Bad actors on the outside may need to spend more time learning the environment, but it can be equally damaging once they gain access.

Regulatory frameworks requiring PAM

Privileged access management can help organizations meet different compliance requirements.

 

Federal standards

 

• FedRAMP
  • Maps to NIST SP 800-53 controls
  • AC-1, AC-2(1-7), AC-6 requirements
  • Privileged account inventory and monitoring
  • Regular access reviews

 

• NIST SP 800-53
  • Access Control (AC) family requirements
  • Privileged command limitation
  • Session auditing and monitoring
  • Least privilege enforcement

 

Industry standards

 

• PCIPCI DSS v4
  • Defined processes and mechanisms for identifying users and authentication
  • Strict Identity controls through account lifecycle management
  • Strong authentication for users and admins
  • MFA to secure access to cardholder data environment (CDE)

 

• ISO 27001
  • Strict access control
  • User authentication and monitoring
  • Regular reviews and audits
  • Centralized management

 

• SOC 2
  • Security
  • Availability
  • Privacy
  • Processing integrity
  • Confidentiality

Benefits of privileged access management

IT leaders can leverage PAM in their organizations to:

• Reduce attack surface by limiting privileged access scope
• Discover and remove over-privileged and dormant accounts
• Provide forensic evidence through session logging and recording
• Contain malware spread by isolating privileged sessions
• Automate compliance controls and audit reporting
• Improve system stability through access standardization

Implementing privileged access management

Executing PAM requires these essential components:

Password vault

• Centralizes privileged credential management
• Enables automated password rotation
• Provides access audit trails
• Protects shared and privileged accounts

Access control engine

• Manages privileged elevation
• Controls command execution
• Enforces least privilege
• Requires strong authentication

Session management

• Records privileged activities
• Monitors sessions in real-time
• Enables session termination
• Maintains audit evidence

Application credential manager

• Secures service accounts
• Controls API authentication
• Eliminates hardcoded credentials
• Automates secret rotation

Implementation steps

1. Start with critical systems
2. Implement in phases
3. Educate users and administrators
4. Monitor and optimize

PAM best practices

Several core security principles form the foundation of privileged access management.

 

One standard PAM security approach applies the principle of least privilege, ensuring users, applications, and devices only have access to the resources they need to perform required functions. Reviewing administrative tasks for authorized users on a granular level and holding back gratuitous privileges helps prevent abuse.

 

JIT, operating on the principle that access should only be granted for a short time, not extended indefinitely, helps mitigate threats. To be effective, JIT should be paired with robust authentication methods like MFA so bad actors that break into an account don’t have uninterrupted access.

 

According to a report from Gartner, PAM can gain effectiveness through automation, delegation, and integration with other enterprise tools. PAM tools alone can’t do the job. They require an operational vision established through best practices and deliberate processes.

 

Gartner defines privileged access management through four pillars:

 

1. Track and secure 
   • Continuously discover privileged accounts
   • Collect access information
   • Remove inappropriate access
   • Enable governance actions
      
2. Govern and control 
   • Establish lifecycle processes
   • Track account permissions
   • Implement JIT access
   • Remove standing privileges
      
3. Record and audit 
   • Monitor privileged sessions
   • Review session recordings
   • Detect unusual activity
   • Maintain visibility
      
4. Operationalize
   • Automate routine tasks
   • Integrate with other tools
   • Support DevOps/RPA initiatives
   • Manage third-party access

Privileged access management vs Identity and access management (IAM)

IAM focuses on creating, maintaining, validating, and consolidating digital identities, while PAM is one component of an overall IAM strategy, achieved through numerous approaches.

 

PAM can be implemented independently of IAM to manage the highest-level privileged Identity account access within an organization’s IT infrastructure. Unified IAM solutions often include PAM functionality or tool integration, providing a single platform for managing all identities and access policies. While IAM can become more complex the bigger and more distributed a company grows, many IT teams still choose to establish clear and secure privileged access management through this approach.

 

With a solid Identity foundation, organizations can extend their workforce capabilities through IAM tools like single sign-on (SSO) and adaptive multifactor authentication (AMFA) to boost security, reduce friction, and eliminate Identity sprawl.

 

PAM

• Manages privileged accounts with elevated system permissions
• Controls access to critical infrastructure and sensitive data assets
• Focuses on password vaulting, privileged session recording, and just-in-time access
• Provides specialized security for admin and service accounts
• Prevents privilege escalation and unauthorized lateral movement
• Enables emergency access management

 

IAM

• Manages all digital identities across the organization
• Controls standard user authentication and authorization
• Handles employee onboarding, transfers, and offboarding
• Provides Identity governance and compliance
• Ensures role-appropriate access levels
• Manages federation and customer identity

 

Common foundational elements between PAM and IAM:

• Policy frameworks and enforcement
• Directory service integration
• Password protocols
• SSO capabilities
• Audit logging and reporting
• User activity tracking
• Compliance monitoring
• Access request workflows

FAQs

Q: What is the difference between NAC and PAM?
A: Network access control (NAC) and PAM serve different cybersecurity functions. NAC controls which devices can connect to a network based on device Identity and security posture. PAM specifically manages privileged user and application accounts with elevated permissions to critical systems. While NAC focuses on network endpoint security, PAM secures high-level access rights and administrative privileges.

 

Q: What is the risk of privileged access?
A: Privileged access can pose security risks through accounts with extensive permissions to critical systems and data. Compromised privileged accounts enable attackers to access sensitive information, modify systems, and maintain persistent access while appearing legitimate. The elevated permissions make detection difficult and increase potential damage from insider threats.

 

Q: What is an example of privilege management?
A: A typical privilege management example is controlling system administrator access to database servers. Instead of having constant admin privileges, IT staff request temporary elevated access through a workflow. Upon approval, they receive time-limited credentials to perform specific tasks, with all actions logged and monitored.

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