Privileged Access Management

TL; DR

A system that protects organisations from risk arising from privileged account. The process involves using specialised security controls and monitoring techniques.

PAM solutions integrate with Microsoft Entra ID and other identity platforms to provide unified privileged access governance.

Why PAM Matters

Privileged accounts are prime targets for attackers because they provide:

• Administrative Access - Full control over systems
• Lateral Movement - Ability to access multiple systems
• Data Exfiltration - Access to sensitive information
• Persistent Access - Long-term system control

Core PAM Components

Privileged Account Discovery

• Asset Inventory - Identifying all privileged accounts
• Account Classification - Categorizing by risk level
• Orphaned Account Detection - Finding forgotten accounts
• Shadow IT Discovery - Uncovering hidden privileged access

Access Control and Vaulting

• Password Vaulting - Secure storage of privileged credentials
• Check-in/Check-out - Temporary credential access
• Automatic Rotation - Regular password changes
• Just-in-Time Access - Temporary privilege elevation

Session Management

• Session Recording - Complete audit trail of privileged sessions
• Session Monitoring - Real-time oversight of privileged activities
• Session Termination - Automatic session cutoff
• Keystroke Logging - Detailed activity tracking

Privileged Analytics

• Behaviour Analysis - Detecting unusual privileged activities
• Risk Scoring - Assessing privileged session risk
• Compliance Reporting - Regulatory audit support
• Threat Detection - Identifying potential compromises

Implementation Models

Traditional PAM

• On-premises deployment - Full organizational control
• Hardware-based vaults - Dedicated security appliances
• Manual workflows - Administrator-managed processes

Cloud PAM

• SaaS solutions - Reduced management overhead
• API integrations - Automated workflows
• Elastic scaling - Growing with organizational needs
• Global accessibility - Remote workforce support

PAM Best Practices

• Principle of Least Privilege - Minimal necessary access
• Regular Access Reviews - Periodic privilege validation
• Multi-factor Authentication - Strong privileged account protection
• Segregation of Duties - Preventing single points of failure
• Emergency Access Procedures - Break-glass scenarios

Integration with Identity Ecosystem

PAM works alongside IAM systems to provide comprehensive identity security:

• Identity Lifecycle Management - Automated provisioning/deprovisioning
• Role-based Access Control - Privilege assignment based on roles
• Conditional Access - Risk-based privileged access decisions
• Zero Trust Architecture - Continuous privileged access validation