Most serious breaches involve misuse of a privileged account at some point.
Admin credentials are the keys to the kingdom.
What Counts as Privileged Access
- Domain admins and root accounts.
- Cloud admin roles (AWS root, Azure Global Admin).
- Database admins.
- Service accounts and API keys.
- Break-glass and emergency accounts.
- Third-party vendors with remote access.
What PAM Is
PAM is the set of tools and processes that discover, secure, control and monitor privileged access.
Core PAM Capabilities
- Credential vaulting: store and rotate admin passwords and keys.
- Least privilege: give users only the access they need.
- Just-in-time (JIT) access: grant privileges temporarily, then revoke them.
- Session management: record and monitor privileged sessions.
- Auditing: a trail of who accessed what, when and why.
Business Drivers
- Compliance: SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, RBI/SEBI guidelines (India) and cyber insurance requirements.
- Insider threats.
- Vendor and third-party risk.
Takeaway
Start by finding every privileged account. You can't protect accounts you don't know exist.
Want to see every privileged account in your environment? Book a 15-min demo of AuthNull PAM.