Privileged Access Management (PAM)
Summary Definition: A cybersecurity framework designed to prevent unauthorized access to critical systems and sensitive data.
What is PAM?
Privileged access management (PAM) is a cybersecurity framework that defends critical systems and sensitive data by controlling, monitoring, and restricting access to authorized users.
PAM solutions can include a variety of safeguards, such as storing credentials in digital vaults, monitoring session activity monitoring, and restricting privileged access to specific times or periods.
Such measures help ensure that only authorized users can perform sensitive tasks, thus reducing a system’s cyberattack exposure. Moreover, by tracking and monitoring privileged activity for anomalies, PAM tools can further mitigate security risks, help prevent unauthorized system changes, and support regulatory compliance of privileged accounts.
Key Takeaways
- Privileged access management (PAM) safeguards critical systems by enforcing strict controls on privileged accounts to minimize security risks and unauthorized access.
- Adopting PAM security reduces cyber threats by combining various security measures with the Principle of Least Privilege (POLP), which limits the minimum permissions granted to standard users.
- While PAM focuses on securing elevated access for specific users, it differs from Identity and Access Management (IAM), which governs general user permissions across an organization.
Why is Privileged Access Management Important?
PAM software is a key cybersecurity component for any employer. Privileged accounts pose one of the greatest security risks for an organization, making them prime targets for cybercriminals. If compromised, these accounts can grant attackers deep access to sensitive systems, allowing them to steal data, disrupt operations, or spread malware.
Implementing a PAM solution ensures standard users, applications, and systems only have the minimum necessary privileges to function, reducing the scope of vulnerability for a cyberattack. Furthermore, each PAM solution typically provides audit trails and monitors session activity in real time, ensuring the organization meets privacy or security regulations.
Using automated security measures to minimize human error and insider threats, PAM tools also improve operational efficiency and security.
PAM vs IAM
Like PAM, identity and access management (IAM) also focuses on securing access to information and systems, but it ultimately serves a broader purpose.
Instead of focusing on specific users or access to sensitive information, identity and access management solutions manage all user identities, ensure appropriate access to information based on any user’s role, and include other cybersecurity features, such as single sign-on (SSO) or multi-factor authentication (MFA).
In other words, IAM tools govern general access permissions for all employees, while PAM solutions add extra layers of security for accounts or roles with elevated privileges. Whereas IAM solutions help organizations define roles and authentication procedures, PAM tools focus on preventing misuse of high-level access.
Other Types of Privileged Management
While privileged access management is more specialized than access and identity management, it also has several subsets addressing different aspects of privileged security.
| Management Type | Primary Function | Key Features |
| Privileged Identity Management (PIM) | Controls sensitive IDs by ensuring only authorized users temporarily gain privileged access when necessary |
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| Privileged Account Management (PAM)* | Protects sensitive accounts by storing, rotating, and restricting access to their credentials |
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| Privileged User Management (PUM) | Oversees privileged users by ensuring they and their actions comply with security policies |
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| Privileged Session Management (PSM) | Monitors each privileged user’s sessions, particularly those via remote access |
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*Note: While distinct, privileged access and account management both use the acronym “PAM.”
How Privileged Access Management Works
Privileged access management software enforces strict authentication and auditing measures to ensure that only authorized individuals can access sensitive systems and data. It does this by combining various cybersecurity features, such as credential rotation and RBAC measures, with the principle of least privilege (POLP).
What is the Principle of Least Privilege?
Within the field of computing, a “privilege” is a right or permission to access information or perform various actions. They grant users or applications greater abilities by allowing them to bypass established security procedures.
The least privilege principle, however, limits a user’s privileges to the minimum level necessary for them to do their job. By minimizing a user’s reach, POLP simultaneously minimizes the impact if that user’s credentials are ever compromised. Organizations can also apply least privilege standards to machine applications and identities, ensuring automated processes operate under similarly strict controls.
Privileged Accounts
While POLP predominantly limits system access, it also relies on a few account types having higher or all levels of permissions (a.k.a. privileged credentials). These privileged accounts are often carefully managed, as they allow users to install new programs, modify system configurations, manage other user accounts, and more.
Common types of privileged accounts include:
- Administrator accounts - Whether local to a specific server or spanning an entire domain, administrator accounts usually manage maintenance tasks, control system configurations, and adjust privileges for others.
- Service accounts - These accounts facilitate interactions between installed applications and a device’s operating systems.
- Application accounts - Usually reserved for programs that need elevated permissions to complete automated processes.
- Emergency accounts - Failsafe accounts that standard users with least privileged access can use in critical situations (e.g., natural disasters).
Privileged Access Management Threats
Even when perfectly implemented and maintained, privileged access management tools face several challenges and threats. Commonly referred to as a “threat vector,” cyberattacks can take numerous forms, from stealing credentials to manipulating assigned privileges. Some attackers, for example, use social engineering to impersonate legitimate users and gain unauthorized access.
Furthermore, some threat vectors come from within an organization due to malicious intent or simple human error. Internal threats can include someone accidentally accumulating too many privileges over time or employees deliberately misusing their permissions for personal gain.
Regardless of the source, adopting certain best practices, such as regularly auditing assigned privileges, automating credential management, and limiting the number of privileged accounts, can help ensure any privileged access management system remains secure.
Related Glossary Terms
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