Privileged Access Management

Privileged Access Management and Cybersecurity

Privileged Access Management (PAM) is a cybersecurity tool that can help secure your business’s sensitive data from threat actors. PAM is also a strategy that limits the access of each account to contain hackers in the event of a breach. Imagine key cards in a hospital. If an individual steals a key card and gets from the hospital lobby to a main hallway, that individual will only be able to travel so far before they reach a room where they need a higher level of access to get in. If a threat actor hacks into a lower-level account, PAM ensures that the actor will only stay in that one account, minimizing the damage. 

How PAM Works

The main component of PAM is the principle of least privilege. The principle of least privilege means that each account will have the minimum amount of access that it needs to run its normal functions. This is important for keeping threat actors in one place and preventing them from gaining access to more sensitive data. 

Employees can be granted different levels of account access. A guest account is the lowest number of privileges an account can have. Guests typically have access to internet browsing and basic applications. A standard account also has very limited access to a few applications often based on the role of the user. Privileged accounts are a step above standard accounts and are allowed access to elevated capabilities and have further permissions. Superuser accounts have access to all resources as well as the ability to make system changes and commands. 

There are many ways to configure PAM. Some organizations allot accounts based on seniority or role. Others give employees a standard account and a privileged account only for performing specific actions. It is up to you to find what arrangement works best for your business. 

The Benefits of PAM

PAM is a very helpful cybersecurity measure that’s main function is to condenses the attack surface. Additionally, it has many other benefits that will help protect your business: 

  • Protects Remote Workers: Working remotely is a great option to help accommodate for your employees, but it can become a risk when your employees connect their work devices to unsecured servers. With a rising popularity in remote work, it’s hard to know what servers are reliable. When your remote employee plugs back into your network you can be assured that whatever they picked up from the coffee shop server down the block will stay within their account.
  • Protection from Malware: Many malware systems need access to privileged accounts in order to install. If threat actors gain access to a standard account, there’s a low chance they will be able to do significant damage.
  • Enhanced Operational Performance: Restricting the range of processes that a device can perform weeds out the unnecessary functions and frees up space for the computer to run more efficiently and reduce downtime. 
  • Protection from Internal Threats: Sometimes your employees with ill intent and access to sensitive information will delete or destroy files to sabotage your business. PAM ensures that all employees stay in their own lane making this scenario something you no longer need to worry about.  

Contact simpleroute

It is a good idea to consider incorporating PAM into your business. PAM is a helpful security tool that mitigates threats across your business and helps to better manage accounts. Call us at 802-881-0010 or send us an email at support@simpleroute.com to discuss implementing PAM into your business. 

 
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