It’s no secret that privileged accounts can be an open door to security threats. Yet managing privileged access––not protecting the accounts and users that are entrusted with it––remains the primary focus for most organizations. This is, perhaps, due to the never-ending struggle of most PAM deployments. Whatever the reason, the threat landscape is evolving, and so must their focus. If organizations hope to prevent trust from turning into risk, then the next step of securing privileged access should be their new priority.
In this blog, you will learn why managing privileged access alone is not sufficient and come away with the tools to build your own security-first privileged access strategy.
The Evolution of Privileged Access Management (PAM)
Privileged Access Management (PAM) has become a critical component in managing organizations’ privileged users and critical resources. At its core, PAM focuses on controlling, monitoring, and protecting privileged accounts—those with elevated access to sensitive systems and data. These accounts, which are often held by administrators, provide the keys to critical assets within an organization. Managing these accounts properly is essential to preventing unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential insider threats.
Over the years, PAM has evolved from a simple method of controlling access to a comprehensive system that integrates with other security tools and provides real-time monitoring. Organizations now employ advanced PAM systems that include automated workflows, password vaulting, session monitoring, and threat detection, giving security teams a greater degree of visibility and control over privileged user activities. This evolution has been driven by increasing regulatory demands, the rise of sophisticated cyberattacks, and the growing complexity of IT environments.
Although PAM has become the industry standard for managing privileged access, it is not without its challenges.
Why Privileged Access Management Isn’t Enough
With the emergence of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, relying solely on Privileged Access Management (PAM) is no longer sufficient to secure critical assets and users. The traditional approach to managing privileged accounts focuses on controlling and monitoring who has access, but it does not take into account the evolving threat landscape. It is becoming increasingly common for attackers to target privileged accounts with advanced tactics such as lateral movement, credential theft, and privilege escalation, bypassing many of the controls that PAM is designed to address.
Organizations need to evolve from simply managing privileged access to implementing a more proactive approach, where security controls are put in place to protect critical resources and privileged users. This shift requires continuous monitoring, complete visibility into all privileged access, risk-based access control, and real-time response to suspicious activities.
While PAM solutions try to mitigate threats like password sharing, weak passwords, and outdated access permissions, they often fall short in addressing advanced persistent threats (APTs) and zero-day vulnerabilities. By focusing on securing privileged accounts at every stage—not just managing their access—organizations can close the security gaps PAM leaves open and secure their most sensitive systems from increasingly sophisticated attacks.
Real-Time Enforcement is the Key to Secure Privileged Access
A security-first approach to privileged access goes beyond the limitations of traditional PAM by addressing the full spectrum of threats associated with privileged accounts. This approach is based on continuous monitoring, automated threat detection, and real-time response––in answer to PAM’s common challenges such as manual processes, poor visibility into real-time threats, and inconsistent enforcement of access policies.
As a result, it is more effective at mitigating advanced attacks such as credential theft and lateral movement. Rather than merely managing access, it focuses on securing the privileged accounts themselves, providing a comprehensive and proactive defense against today’s sophisticated cyber threats.
The following key features should be considered when choosing a solution to help you solve your PAM-related challenges and build a secure privileged access strategy:
Discovery and Classification of Privileged Accounts
The ability to automate the detection and classification of privileged accounts ensures end-to-end visibility and continuous monitoring. It also helps detect whether regular accounts are being used for privileged tasks, enabling prompt action to mitigate risk.
Applying Security Controls to Privileged Access
Enforcing security controls on privileged users and ensuring they have access only when necessary is a key component of privileged access security. Applying strong security controls such as Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and access denied can prevent unauthorized access.
Real-Time Monitoring
With real-time monitoring of privileged access activity, you can audit and analyze actions taken by privileged users, making it easier to detect unusual behavior and respond immediately to suspicious activity, preventing breaches before they escalate.
Implementing Time-Sensitive Access Policies
Enforcing Zero Standing Privileges (ZSP) and Just-In-Time (JIT) access policies to privileged accounts to grant access only when needed minimizes persistent access risks and reduces the overall attack surface.
Shifting the Mindset to Security-First for Privileged Access
To truly protect privileged users, organizations must shift their focus from simply managing access to prioritizing security through real-time enforcement. By emphasizing security-first strategies like real-time monitoring, automated controls, and just-in-time privileges, you can ensure privileged users are secure and access is tightly controlled. This approach not only reduces risks but also closes security gaps, creating a more resilient environment where security is prioritized over management.