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What is Privileged Access Management?

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What is privileged access management?

Privileged Access Management (PAM) is a security strategy and set of technologies used to control, monitor, and secure access to critical systems and data by users with elevated or “privileged” permissions.

What Does “Privileged Access” Mean?

It refers to access held by:

  • System administrators
  • Database admins
  • Network engineers
  • DevOps teams
  • Service accounts or automation tools

These users can make major changes—like installing software, accessing sensitive data, rebooting systems, or changing security configurations.

What PAM Does:

  1. Limits who can access what
    • Enforces least privilege—users only get the access they absolutely need.
  1. Manages credentials
    • Stores and rotates passwords in a secure vault.
    • Eliminates hardcoded credentials.
  1. Monitors and records activity
    • Tracks logins, commands, session duration, and changes made.
    • Enables real-time alerts and session recording.
  1. Grants temporary, just-in-time access
    • Reduces standing privileges by giving time-bound access.

Why PAM Matters:

  • Prevents internal misuse or accidental damage
  • Protects against credential theft and lateral movement in cyberattacks
  • Helps meet compliance requirements (HIPAA, PCI-DSS, SOX, etc.)
  • Increases visibility and control over your most sensitive systems

Privileged Access Management (PAM) protects your crown jewels by securing and controlling access to powerful accounts that can make or break your environment.

What is an example of privileged access management?

A solid example of Privileged Access Management (PAM) in action would be:

Using a PAM Solution to Secure Admin Access to Production Servers

Scenario:

Your company runs critical apps on cloud-based Linux servers. Only a few DevOps engineers need root access to manage these servers—but that access must be tightly controlled, logged, and time-limited.

Here’s how PAM would handle it:

  1. Credential Vaulting
    • The root password for each server is stored in a secure, encrypted vault (e.g., CyberArk, BeyondTrust, or HashiCorp Vault).
    • Users never see the actual password—access is brokered through the PAM system.
  1. Just-in-Time (JIT) Access
    • An engineer requests temporary root access to a specific server.
    • Approval is granted via a workflow or policy.
    • Access is granted for a limited time (e.g., 60 minutes), and then revoked automatically.
  1. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
    • Before accessing the vault or launching a session, the engineer must pass an MFA challenge.
  1. Session Recording & Monitoring
    • The PAM system records the entire session (keystrokes, commands, and screen activity).
    • Security teams can monitor live or review the session later if needed.
  1. Audit Logging
    • All access attempts, approvals, and activities are logged and timestamped.
    • These logs are sent to a SIEM for analysis and compliance reporting.

So in short: PAM ensures that powerful accounts (like root or admin) are protected, access is limited, and everything is tracked. It’s your safety net when it comes to high-risk access.

What is the difference between IAM and PAM?

IAM (Identity and Access Management) and PAM (Privileged Access Management) are both key parts of an organization’s security strategy—but they focus on different levels of access and solve different problems.

IAM vs. PAM — The Key Differences

Feature IAM (Identity & Access Management) PAM (Privileged Access Management)
Primary Focus Managing access for all users Managing access for privileged users/accounts
User Types Employees, contractors, customers Admins, root users, service accounts, power users
Access Level Regular access to apps, emails, databases Elevated access to critical systems, servers, and infrastructure
Functions Authentication, SSO, MFA, user provisioning Session recording, command control, credential vaulting
Scope Broad (across all users and systems) Narrower, but deeper (focused on high-risk access)
Security Goal Make sure the right users get the right level of access Limit and monitor powerful accounts to reduce risk

Think of it like this:

  • IAM is the security gate for all users—deciding who gets in and what they can do based on roles.
  • PAM is the vault and surveillance system for your most critical keys—watching and locking down the high-level users who can do the most damage if compromised.

Why Both Matter:

  • IAM protects day-to-day access across your org.
  • PAM protects sensitive systems from internal abuse or external attacks using stolen credentials.

They work best together to build a Zero Trust architecture.

How does privileged access management fit into zero trust?

Privileged Access Management (PAM) is a core pillar of Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA). While Zero Trust is all about “never trust, always verify,” PAM is how you apply that principle to your most powerful users and accounts.

How PAM Fits into Zero Trust

Here’s how the two work together:

1. Never Trust, Always Verify — Even for Admins

Zero Trust assumes no user or device is inherently trusted, not even internal IT admins. PAM enforces this by requiring:

  • Authentication + Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Continuous verification of user identity
  • Just-in-time (JIT) elevation for privileged roles

Even if you’re an admin, PAM ensures you only get access when, where, and for how long you actually need it.

2. Least Privilege Enforcement

Zero Trust promotes least privilege—giving users only the permissions they need.

PAM operationalizes that by:

  • Restricting admin access to specific systems or commands
  • Granting temporary elevated access instead of always-on rights
  • Controlling which actions privileged users can perform

3. Micro-Segmentation + PAM

Zero Trust often uses micro-segmentation to limit movement between systems.

PAM works with that by:

  • Limiting privileged users to certain systems, applications, or environments
  • Blocking unnecessary or risky lateral movement

4. Full Visibility and Auditability

Zero Trust requires continuous monitoring of user behavior.

PAM supports this with:

  • Session recording (videos, keystrokes, commands)
  • Real-time alerts on risky behavior
  • Detailed audit logs sent to SIEMs or SOC teams

Real-World Example:

An IT admin requests access to a cloud database. With Zero Trust + PAM:

  • They authenticate with MFA.
  • PAM checks their device, role, and time of request.
  • If approved, PAM grants just enough access, for a limited time.
  • Their session is recorded and logged.
  • Access automatically expires, with no standing privileges left behind.

PAM is how Zero Trust gets serious about protecting the keys to your kingdom. It enforces tight control over privileged accounts—ensuring that elevated access is always:

  • Verified
  • Limited
  • Monitored
  • Expirable