Certain accounts in your organization have access to your most sensitive systems and data. If left unsecured, these privileged accounts are an open invitation for cybercriminals to steal data or deploy ransomware.
Privileged access management (PAM) can help prevent that. It’s a security solution that protects your business by monitoring and detecting sessions, and preventing unauthorized access to critical resources. The goal of PAM is simple: give people only the minimum access they need to do their job while providing the essential control and visibility needed to identify and investigate anomalies.
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What are privileged accounts?
So, what exactly makes an account “privileged”? Simply put, it’s any account with more permissions and access than a standard user. Because of the power they hold and the high risks of perpetual privileged access, managing these accounts is a top security priority. While it’s easy to imagine a single “superadmin,” there are various types of privileged accounts, each designed for a specific purpose.
Essential privileged accounts used by humans
These accounts are assigned to specific individuals to allow them to perform high-level tasks or access critical systems.
Superuser accounts are used by system administrators, who have the unrestricted power to configure a system or an app, manage users, and delete data.
Domain administrator accounts grant administrative access to every workstation and server within a network domain. They provide the most powerful and far-reaching access across the entire network.
Local administrative accounts, located on an endpoint or workstation, use a mix of a username and password, allowing users to log in and make changes to the local device.
Privileged business user. Access is based on a job role. For example, a finance or HR manager who can view sensitive payroll or personnel files.
Break-glass accounts grant administrative access to protect systems and are used only during emergencies.
Secure Socket Shell (SSH) keys, or in other words, access control protocols, provide direct root access to systems. Root, which can be either a username or account, has the highest level of control over all files and commands on Linux and Unix-like systems.
Non-human privileged identities
In modern security, we also have to manage accounts that aren’t used by people. These non-human privileged identities allow applications and services to interact with the operating system and each other automatically. They typically include:
Application accounts are a type of privileged account built into software. They are used to configure and manage settings and user access within the application.
Service accounts are another type of privileged account that lets an application or service “talk” to the operating system and make changes to it.
SSH key, mentioned above, can be used not only by humans, but also by automated processes.
Secret accounts, sometimes called “catch-all” by DevOps teams, refer to API keys, SSH keys, and other credentials that grant high-level access.
All of these accounts, whether used by a person or a piece of software, hold the keys to your sensitive data or critical systems. As the number of non-human identities is exploding, learning to manage every “key” is vital for your organization’s security.
The core principles of privileged access management
Effective privileged access management is built on several foundational principles that work together to minimize risk. Think of them as the pillars that support your entire access management framework.
The principle of least privilege (PoLP)
The first and most important pillar is the principle of least privilege (PoLP). As the cornerstone of any strong security strategy, it dictates that users and systems should only be given the absolute minimum level of access needed to do their jobs. By restricting permissions, you limit the damage a hacker can cause if they ever compromise an account.
Just-enough access (JEA)
While PoLP tells us who gets access, just-enough access defines what they can do. Instead of giving an admin full control over a server, JEA provides a specific set of tools or commands tailored to their task. Think of it like a hotel key card: it gets you into your room and the gym, but not the manager’s office or the kitchen.
Just-in-time (JIT) access
Just-in-time (JIT) access eliminates the need for users to have powerful permissions 24/7. Instead of standing privileges that stay open forever, JIT access provides elevated access only when requested for a specific task and limited time. Once the task is done or the time limit is up, the permissions are automatically revoked.
Tiered administration model
Organizations use the tiered administration model to prevent threat actors from stealing high-level passwords from less secure computers. The golden rule here is that high-level accounts (like Tier 0) should never log in to lower-level systems (like Tier 2).
This model groups assets into levels (tiers) based on how sensitive they are:
Tier 0, the most secure of all tiers, is used for the most critical assets, covering assets that can control the whole infrastructure of an organization.
Tier 1 covers enterprise-level, application, and database servers that are key to your business operations; however, but lack control over the core identity infrastructure.
Tier 2, which is the lowest one, includes end-user workstations and devices.
Continuous monitoring and auditing
The final piece of the puzzle is privileged session management (PSM). This involves monitoring, recording, and controlling everything that happens during a privileged session. Much like a security camera in a bank vault, PSM captures keystrokes and screen activity, allowing security teams to watch sessions live or play them back later. This creates a clear audit trail, making it easy to investigate suspicious behavior and hold users accountable.
Why is privileged access management important for your organization?
Adopting a privileged access management solution is a strategic business decision, not just a technical upgrade. A solid PAM framework helps you manage and control privileged access, build a more resilient security foundation, and streamline compliance efforts.
Mitigating cyber risks
A privileged access management solution is a vital checkpoint against both internal and external threats. It stops unauthorized users from gaining the elevated access needed to cause widespread damage. For example, if an attacker gains initial access to your network, PAM can prevent them from moving laterally—meaning they won’t be able to access your databases and steal sensitive information.
Privileged access management is a powerful defense against ransomware attacks, which target admin accounts to encrypt servers and backups. By enforcing the principle of least privilege, you starve the malware of the access it needs to spread, effectively neutralizing its ability to cause a company-wide disaster.
The very same controls also help manage insider threats. PAM reduces the risk of both accidental exposure and intentional harm from within by ensuring employees only access the data and systems required for their jobs.
Key to achieving compliance
Many regulations, such as SOX, HIPAA, and PCI DSS, require organizations to not only secure their data but also prove that their security measures are effective. A privileged access management solution provides detailed session logs and audit trails that serve as concrete evidence for auditors, making it much easier to stay compliant.
Improved operational efficiency
Manually managing privileged credentials across dozens of systems is a time-consuming and error-prone process for IT teams. PAM solutions automate these heavy tasks, ensuring secure access across your organization and providing a centralized platform for password management to:
Rotate credentials automatically.
Enforce security policies across the board.
Streamline the lifecycle of granting and revoking permissions.
Privileged access management for DevOps, cloud, and third parties
As organizations become more agile, managing privileged access expands far beyond internal IT teams. Developers, external partners, and automated systems all require high-level access to keep the business running.
Third-party and vendor access
Managing external consultants often creates a security gap. Privileged access management allows you to grant temporary, task-specific access to vendors without providing them with a permanent “backdoor” to your network. This ensures that once the project is finished, their access automatically expires.
Securing CI/CD pipelines
In fast-paced DevOps environments, “secret sprawl”—the risky habit of hardcoding passwords or API keys into scripts—is a major threat. PAM integrates directly with tools like Jenkins, Docker, or Ansible to manage these credentials securely, ensuring that automated pipelines have the necessary access without exposing sensitive secrets.
Hybrid cloud challenges
Managing privileges across both on-premises servers and cloud providers like AWS or Azure is complex. A unified PAM strategy provides a single point of control, allowing you to enforce the same security rules across your entire infrastructure, regardless of where your data is stored.
PAM and other security solutions
The cybersecurity world is full of acronyms, such as IAM, PAM, and PIM, and it can be tough to keep them all straight. Let’s clear up the confusion by looking at each separately.
First is the broadest category: identity and access management (IAM). Think of IAM as the foundation of your organization’s entire digital identity strategy, designed to manage the rights of every user. Its main goal is to answer the basic question, “Is this the right person, and are they allowed to use this resource?”
While IAM provides the wide-angle view, privileged access management and privileged identity management (PIM) offer a closer look at your highest-risk accounts. Although closely related, they have different focuses.
The focus of privileged identity management is the user identity itself. It manages privileged user accounts and their underlying permissions, securing the entire lifecycle of the account. Privileged access management, on the other hand, focuses on controlling and monitoring access to critical resources. Its primary role is to secure the actual connection to sensitive systems and data.
In other words, PIM secures the identity (the “who”), while PAM secures the access and monitors the activity (the “what” and “how”). A comprehensive privileged access management strategy will include PIM capabilities to provide complete control over the entire privileged access journey.
Key features of PAM software
When evaluating different privileged access management tools, it can be hard to know what to look for. A truly effective solution should offer a comprehensive set of features designed to secure every aspect of privileged user access. Here are the core capabilities that should be non-negotiable:
Secure vaulting and password management. The centralized password vault securely stores all your privileged credentials.
Activity monitoring. It allows your security team to monitor, record, and even terminate suspicious sessions in real time. Having a detailed, unalterable record of all activity is crucial not only for accountability but also as an invaluable resource for investigations if an incident occurs.
Access control and elevation. To effectively enforce the principle of least privilege, a privileged access management solution must provide granular access control and elevation. This allows users to operate with standard, non-privileged accounts for their daily work and request temporary, elevated permissions only when needed for a specific task.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA). Having MFA enforced ensures that even if a privileged password is somehow stolen, the account remains secure, as the attacker cannot provide the necessary second factor of authentication.
Best practices for implementing PAM
A successful PAM implementation is more than just technology; it requires a thoughtful strategy guided by a clear set of privileged access management best practices. This means combining the right tools, processes, and people to protect your most critical assets.
Implement a least privilege access model and a zero-trust approach. Start by identifying and documenting all privileged accounts within your entire company. Then, adopt the zero trust mindset of “never trust, always verify,” and strip back all permissions to the absolute minimum required for each role.
Use strong authentication. Once you’ve limited what users can access, the next step is to secure how they access it. As mentioned above, every single privileged account, without exception, must be protected by MFA.
Monitor and audit everything. Use your PAM solution’s session management features to log, record, and review privileged sessions. This not only holds users accountable for their actions but also provides an invaluable audit trail for compliance and allows your security team to quickly detect and investigate any suspicious behavior.
Control the credential lifecycle. Ensure that each privileged account has a unique and strong password that’s stored in an encrypted vault. A PAM solution should also allow you to set password policies that all team members should follow.
Educate and empower your users. It’s essential to educate all employees with privileged access on the importance of these security controls and their responsibilities in protecting the organization. Understanding the “why” behind the policies helps your team members become active partners in security rather than seeing it as a roadblock.
Avoid perpetual privileged access. It’s better to use just-in-time or just-enough access, as it helps ensure that users have a reason for such access for a limited time.
How NordPass can help organizations stay safe
NordPass is a great addition to your privileged access management toolkit. It helps you address the security risks tied to privileged accounts, solving password management challenges quickly and efficiently. With NordPass, you can:
Secure, share, and manage all credentials in an encrypted vault. NordPass is currently the only password manager using the XChaCha20 encryption algorithm.
Manage access rights for individuals and groups, and specify access levels from viewing to editing account information.
Set company-wide password rules that are easy for employees to follow. NordPass helps generate, store, and manage strong passwords in line with your security policies.
Strengthen authentication by requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA) and integrating with your current single sign-on (SSO) providers.
Monitor login activity in real time with detailed audit logs and event history. Activity Log gives you the clear insights needed to support compliance and respond quickly to incidents.
To learn how you can build a stronger foundation for your security, explore NordPass for Business or discover the advanced capabilities of NordPass for Enterprise today.
FAQs
What is the difference between PAM and privileged user management (PUM)?
While PAM and PIM sound similar, they are different. PAM helps control and manage identities and prevents hackers from penetrating your network. It protects privileged groups that control access to your systems. PUM, on the other hand, is user-centric and focuses on who has access to systems, managing the users’ roles and permissions, for example, ensuring the right admin has access.
Can PAM prevent ransomware?
The short answer is yes. PAM stops a small infection from becoming a company-wide disaster. By not giving high-level permissions to unknown software or users, PAM can stop ransomware from spreading, block the damage, and protect access to backups.
What is a PAM security tool?
Privileged access management software helps organizations protect privileged accounts from unauthorized access and misuse. PAM acts as a gatekeeper by securing credentials, controlling who can access sensitive systems, and monitoring activity in real time. This ensures that powerful permissions are never misused and that organizations can quickly identify and block potential threats.