Privileged accounts are well-known gateways to potential security threats. However, many organizations focus solely on managing privileged access rather than protecting the accounts and the users they are trusted with. This emphasis is perhaps related to ongoing challenges Privileged Access Management (PAM) deployment. However, as the threat landscape changes, so must organizational priorities. To prevent trust from becoming an issue, the next step in securing privileged access must be a critical focus.
In this blog, we explore why managing privileged access alone is not enough and provide actionable information to help you develop a security strategy for privileged access.
Evolution of PAM
Privileged Access Management (PAM) has long been a cornerstone of organizational security privileged users and important resources. The primary purpose of PAM is to control, monitor, and protect privileged accounts that often have elevated access to critical systems and data. These accounts, typically owned by administrators, act as keys to the organization’s most valuable assets. Good governance is essential to prevent unauthorized access, data breaches and insider threats.
Over time, PAM has evolved into a sophisticated solution that integrates with broader security tools and offers features such as automated workflows, password storage, session monitoring, and threat detection. This evolution is in response to growing regulatory requirements, increasingly complex IT ecosystems, and the increasing prevalence of advanced cyberattacks.
Despite its achievements, PAM faces limitations that hinder its ability to comprehensively counter today’s security threats.
Why managing privileged access is not enough
As cyber threats become more sophisticated, relying on PAM alone to protect privileged accounts is not enough. Traditional PAM systems focus on access control and monitoring, but often do not address advanced tactics such as lateral movement, credential theftand privilege escalation. This tactic can bypass many of the security measures implemented by PAM.
Organizations must move from managing access to protecting privileged accounts themselves. This transition requires comprehensive visibility, continuous monitoring, risk-based access control and real-time threat response.
Although PAM solutions by addressing issues such as password vulnerabilities and poor access controls, they often combat Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) and zero-day attacks. By enhancing PAM with robust security measures at every step, organizations can close critical gaps and protect sensitive systems from increasingly sophisticated adversaries.
Real-Time Enforcement: The Future of Privileged Access Security
A security-focused approach to privileged access goes beyond traditional PAM restrictions by focusing on proactive protection rather than reactive management. By leveraging continuous monitoring, automated detection, and real-time responses, organizations can effectively address challenges such as manual workflows, limited threat visibility, and inconsistent policy enforcement.
This approach not only mitigates sophisticated attacks such as credential theft and lateral movement but also provides active protection for privileged accounts.
Key features of a secure privileged access strategy
To create a robust privileged access strategy, consider solutions that provide the following capabilities:
- Identifying and classifying privileged accounts
- Automating the discovery and classification of privileged accounts provides complete visibility and monitoring. It also helps identify common accounts that are being misused for privileged tasks, allowing for timely intervention.
- Implementation of security measures
- Applying robust security controls such as multi-factor authentication (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and access restrictions—prevents unauthorized access and increases the security of a privileged account.
- Monitoring in real time
- Continuous monitoring of privileged activity allows for immediate detection of anomalies and rapid response to suspicious behavior, stopping violations before they escalate.
- Time-limited access policies
- Implementing zero persistent privileges (ZSP) and just-in-time (JIT) access ensures that privileges are only granted when needed, minimizing persistent access risks and reducing attack surface.
Security first for privileged access
Organizations must shift from managing access to prioritizing security by taking real-time and proactive measures. Strategies such as continuous monitoring, automated controls, and time-sensitive access policies reduce risk and close security gaps, creating a more secure and resilient environment.
By putting security at the forefront of privileged access strategies, organizations can better protect their critical assets and build defenses against today’s ever-evolving threats. Learn more about how Silverfort can help you.
