Businesses today face increasing security threats to privileged user accounts that can access applications and infrastructure. Privileged Access Management (PAM), has become a crucial cybersecurity strategy to ensure that these privileged can be properly managed, monitored, and have controlled access to these accounts. Let’s investigate the four key components of Privileged Access Management and their significance in safeguarding your business environment.

1. Shared Access Password Management

In a business environment, various individuals or teams often require access to shared accounts, such as administrator or root accounts, for maintenance, troubleshooting, or other tasks. However, sharing passwords is a security vulnerability if not managed properly.

Shared Access Password Management involves:

  • Password Rotation: Regularly changing passwords for shared accounts to mitigate the risk of unauthorized access.
  • Password Vaults: Using password vaults to securely store, manage, and share passwords with authorized personnel.
  • Access Logs: Maintaining detailed logs of who accessed shared accounts and when.

Effective shared access password management ensures that only authorized individuals can access critical accounts and reduces the risk of security breaches due to compromised credentials.

 

2. Privileged Session Management

Privileged Session Management plays a pivotal role in monitoring and controlling session activities with privileged accounts. It enables real-time visibility into actions being taken by privileged accounts, helps identify suspicious or unauthorized activities and can even stop a session based on pre-set criteria. Key aspects of privileged session management include:

  • Session Recording: Recording and storing sessions for auditing and forensic purposes.
  • Real-time Monitoring: Continuously monitoring privileged sessions for anomalies or policy violations.
  • Session Termination: Automatically terminating sessions that exceed defined time limits or show suspicious behavior.
  • Alerting: Setting up alerts to notify administrators of unusual activities in real-time.

By monitoring and managing privileged sessions, businesses can proactively respond to potential threats and maintain a higher level of control over their IT environment.

 

3. Vendor Privileged Access Management

In today’s interconnected business landscape, third-party vendors often require access to your systems and data for various reasons. Vendor Privileged Access Management is a vital step in securing these interactions while minimizing potential risks. Key elements of this component include:

  • Vendor Onboarding: Implementing a structured process for authorizing and onboarding third-party vendors.
  • Role-Based Access: Defining access rights and permissions based on vendor roles and responsibilities.
  • Time-Limited Access: Granting temporary access for specific tasks, reducing the exposure of your systems.
  • Audit Trails: Monitoring and logging all vendor activity for accountability.

By implementing vendor privileged access management, businesses can maintain control over third-party access, ensuring that it aligns with security policies and mitigating the risk of unauthorized or malicious actions.

 

4. Application Access Management

Applications and services often hold valuable data and are prime targets for attackers. Application Access Management is essential for securing these assets by controlling who can access and modify them. Key aspects of this component include:

  • Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Assigning access permissions based on job roles or responsibilities.
  • Application Firewalls: Implementing firewalls and access controls within applications to restrict access.
  • Access Certification: Regularly reviewing and auditing user access to applications.
  • Single Sign-On (SSO): Simplifying access management by providing users with a single authentication point for multiple applications.

 

By effectively managing application access, businesses can reduce the risk of data breaches from both internal and external threats, meet any regulatory compliance and improve overall operational efficiency.

In today’s cyber threat landscape, Privileged Access Management is a must-have cybersecurity strategy. These four key components – Shared Access Password Management, Privileged Session Management, Vendor Privileged Access Management, and Application Access Management – form the foundation of a robust PAM strategy. By implementing and maintaining these four components, businesses can significantly enhance their security posture, protect sensitive data, and proactively move toward safeguarding your business from cyber threats.