In an enterprise setup, employees involved in day-to-day operations rely on various business systems and applications aligned with their roles to input, process, share, and manage data, ensuring smooth and effective organizational functioning. Timely access to these critical systems and data is indispensable for productivity.
However, users must access only the systems and data necessary for their specific responsibilities – a principle known as least privilege. Uncontrolled or excessive access can lead to data breaches, malicious insider activities, and accidental data exposure. In fact, according to a study by Forrester, insider threats, intentional or not, account for 59% of incidents impacting sensitive data.
Still, a few workflows may require users to temporarily access tools, datasets, or features beyond their usual entitlements. It is crucial to enable and authorize individuals to access them when needed and then restrict access once the users complete the proposed tasks. Managing this access requires a robust framework to govern who can access what, when, and under what conditions. This is where privileged access comes in.
This article explores the concept of privileged access, the framework to manage it, namely Privileged Access Security (PAS), and the mechanism to manage those privileged accounts, Privileged User Management (PUM). It also outlines best practices to build an effective privileged access management strategy and strengthen an organization’s overall cybersecurity posture.
What is Privileged Access?
Privileged access refers to the special permissions or elevated rights granted to users, accounts, or systems that allow them to perform actions beyond those of their regular counterparts, involving sensitive systems, applications, configurations, and data that are otherwise protected. Privileged access provides users the ability to:
- Install software
- Change configurations
- Access sensitive data
- Create new user accounts
Risks of Inadequate Privileged Access Controls
Containing a cyberattack and preventing it from accessing critical systems and data requires isolating attack surfaces from the rest of the digital infrastructure. Privileged access security is key to containing such attacks. Without proper controls over privileged accounts, attackers can gain unrestricted access to sensitive systems, move laterally across networks, and escalate their privileges, gaining control over the entire digital infrastructure. So, a lack of proper privileged access controls can open the door to devastating cyberattacks.
The 2020 SolarWinds breach is a good example of what can potentially happen when attackers gain access to privileged accounts. In that case, access to privileged accounts allowed the attackers to move laterally across networks and compromise sensitive government and enterprise systems. It allowed the attackers to send updates with malicious code to customers worldwide.
Similarly, the infamous Target breach originated from compromised third-party access to poorly managed privileged accounts.
Consequences of such breaches include:
- Data loss and intellectual property theft
- Operational downtime
- Regulatory penalties
- Long-term damage to reputation
Regulatory Compliance and Privileged Access
Privileged access is not just a means to restrict and provide temporary access to sensitive systems. It is also a key requirement for enterprises to meet regulatory standards like GDPR, HIPAA, and ISO 27001.
These standards are in place to mandate transparency, traceability, and accountability on who can access what, when, and how in an organization. Compliance with these standards is mandatory, and failing to meet them can lead to legal implications, massive fines, and damage to the reputation.
So, enterprises must ensure security with a robust Privileged Access Security (PAS) framework and Privileged User Management (PAM), providing visibility and control over privileged activities.
Privileged Access Security – The Framework to Manage Privileged Access
Privileged access to critical business systems, applications, and data in an organization is controlled, monitored, and secured by an overarching security framework called Privileged Access Security (PAS).
PAS enforces security policies pertaining to privileged access like least privilege, Just-In-Time (JIT) access, session monitoring, password vaulting, and multi-factor authentication and governs who can access privileged resources, under what conditions, and for how long. These capabilities protect against misuse of privileged access, enable audits, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
How Does Privileged Access Security Work?
Privileged Access Security (PAS) enforces all user accounts to operate under least privilege, with access configured to meet their roles and requirements. So, by default, they have only the minimum access necessary for daily tasks. When elevated access to sensitive systems is required:
- The user requests elevated access through the Privileged Access Security solution.
- The administrator will grant Just-In-Time (JIT) access to account privileges, temporaily elevating the user’spermissions or granting access to a privileged account.
- The privileged access is temporary, time-bound, and monitored.
- Within that time, the user must complete the tasks requiring elevated access in a monitored session.
- Once the tasks are complete, the system automatically revokes privileged access and reverts the user to least privilege.
So, the entire concept of privileged access management relies on elevating a user with a least privileged account to access privileges securely within a fixed time and under the rules and conditions set by PAS.
The Two Ways to Manage Privileged Access
There are two ways to manage privileged access:
- The admin can provide Just-In-Time access, where the user’s least privileged account is granted elevated permissions temporarily to perform specific tasks. It emphasizes direct accountability of individuals and reduces the risk tied to shared credentials.
- Another way to manage privileged access is by giving the user temporary credentials to access a privileged account through Privileged User Management. This method is preferred when a few critical operations cannot be completed by elevating a least privileged account and require older accounts like root, admin, or service accounts.
What are Privileged Accounts?
Privileged accounts are user accounts within an IT environment with elevated permissions beyond what is allowed in least privileged accounts. They enable unrestricted access to critical systems, sensitive data, and security configurations. There are many types of privileged accounts, each with different privileges and capabilities to fulfill a specific purpose. Following are the most common types of privileged accounts.
| Privileged Account Type | Purpose | Privileges |
| Administrator Accounts | To manage local or domain systems and perform system-level tasks | Install/uninstall software, create/delete user accounts, modify system settings, manage permissions, access all files |
| Root Accounts (Unix/Linux) | To perform unrestricted actions on Unix/Linux systems | Execute all commands, override file permissions, manage users and roles, alter system configurations, delete critical system files |
| Service Accounts | To allow applications or automated services to interact with systems | Access specific files, databases, or systems; run background processes or services with predefined permissions |
| Domain Administrator Accounts | To administer Active Directory domains across enterprise environments | Full control over all domain resources, reset user passwords, modify group policies, create/delete accounts, access servers and workstations |
| Application Accounts | To enable applications to interact with databases, APIs, or other services | Access backend data, read/write configuration files, connect to services or execute scripts often embedded with elevated rights in app code |
These accounts are crucial for system administration, application deployment, and network configuration. But if they are left unmanaged, they can become high-value targets for cyber attackers and insiders alike. Any accidental or deliberate misuse can compromise entire IT ecosystems. So, privileged accounts require tight controls. This is where privileged user management (PUM) comes in.
What is Privileged User Management (PUM)?
Privileged User Management (PUM) is a critical component of Privileged Access Security (PAS). Unlike Privileged Access Management (PAM), which controls and monitors individual users’ elevated access, PUM only manages how users are granted access to built-in privileged accounts, often shared among multiple users. It ensures that access to these high-risk accounts is authorized, time-bound, and auditable.
It acts as a gatekeeper, enabling administrators to moderate access to privileged accounts; i.e., it prevents a scenario where users who need access to privileged accounts do not log in directly with shared credentials. Instead, it routes their access to these accounts through secure, controlled channels, ensuring individual accountability, even when shared accounts are used, by logging who accessed what, when, and for how long.
For instance, suppose there are five administrator accounts and an IT person with a least privileged account needs to test an update on a system, PUM provides temporary credentials for accessing one of those five admin accounts for only a predefined duration. It allows administrators to monitor if the user implements only the authorized tasks. PUM revokes access to that account after the task is complete or the predefined duration expires. Once PUM cancels access to that account, it triggers password rotation so the user cannot access that account with the same credentials again. At the same time, it records the session, making it possible to monitor the individual user’s activities in real time or look up later. It helps maintain accountability and prevents unauthorized reuse of privileged access.
Through PUM, organizations can:
- Restrict the use of powerful built-in accounts to only when necessary.
- Enforce check-out/check-in processes with time limits and approval workflows.
- Log and monitor all privileged account activity.
- Prevent direct password exposure by using credential injection or proxy access.
In short, PUM ensures no one can access privileged accounts without visibility, oversight, and control. It is crucial for reducing the risk of insider threats, accidental misuse, and external compromise.
Best Practices for Securing Privileged Access With PUM/PAS
- Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). MFA adds an additional layer of identity verification and helps prevent unauthorized access to privileged accounts, even if the credentials are compromised.
- Keep tabs on activities with session recording and real-time logging. This enables you to monitor privileged user actions, capture and review the actions of privileged users in real time or later, and ensure they do not abuse their privileges. Session monitoring supports both proactive threat detection and forensic investigations.
- Enforce least privilege and ensure users have access restricted to the minimum necessary level for each task by default, forcing them to seek privileged access every time. You can implement Role-based Access Control (RBAC) and Just-In-Time (JIT) access mechanisms to ensure that elevated privileges are time-bound, minimizing attack surfaces.
- Implement password rotation and management. By rotating privileged credentials regularly, you can ensure users do not accidentally get privileged access that was already revoked. Storing the passwords in encrypted password vaults reinforces security, prevents misuse, and ensures auditability. Automated checkout/check-in processes help enforce controlled access.
- When the master key is compromised, the whole digital infrastructure is exposed. So, use dedicated Privileged Access Workstations (PAWs) exclusively to carry out administrative tasks. It helps you isolate sensitive operations from daily-use environments, reducing the risk of malware infections or phishing attacks.
Fortifying the Kingdom’s Keys With Privileged Access Security and User Management
In an age of sophisticated cyber threats and increased attack surfaces, the most appropriate question is not whether bad actors are targeting your privileged access or not; it is when and how they will.
Without a robust Privileged Access Security framework and effective Privileged User Management, your organization’s digital infrastructure is at serious risk of insider threats and cyberattacks. So, PAS and PUM are not optional; they are foundational.
Organizations must take a proactive approach to privileged access security by combining user-specific controls with account-specific protections. By adopting the best practices outlined above and leveraging modern PAM/PUM tools, you can protect your most critical assets and ensure your keys to the kingdom remain safe.
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