Attack Surface
An attack surface in permissions management refers to the sum total of all potential vulnerabilities that an unauthorized entity could exploit to gain access to a system or data. ...
What is Privileged Identity Management?
Privileged Identity Management (PIM) is a security solution and a set of practices designed to manage and control access to privileged accounts within an organization’s IT environment. Privileged accounts are those that have elevated access rights and permissions, often with the ability to make significant changes to the IT infrastructure, access sensitive data, or perform critical administrative tasks. Examples of privileged accounts include those used by system administrators, database administrators, and other IT personnel who require special privileges to manage systems and data.
The primary goals of Privileged Identity Management are:
- Access Control: PIM ensures that privileged accounts are used only when necessary and that users can access these accounts only for approved tasks. It helps prevent unauthorized access to privileged credentials and resources.
- Monitoring and Auditing: PIM solutions typically include auditing and monitoring capabilities to track and log the activities performed by users with privileged access. This helps detect and respond to any suspicious or unauthorized activities.
- Just-In-Time Access: PIM often implements the concept of “just-in-time” access, where users are granted privileged access for a specific, limited duration when they need it, reducing the exposure of sensitive credentials.
- Privilege Elevation: PIM can allow for the elevation of privileges on-demand, ensuring that users operate with standard access until they need elevated privileges for a particular task. This reduces the risk associated with continuously elevated access.
- Password Management: PIM systems often provide secure storage and management of privileged account passwords or use technologies like password rotation to reduce the risk of credential theft.
- Access Request and Approval: PIM includes workflows for requesting and approving access to privileged accounts. Access requests are subject to review and approval by authorized personnel.
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): PIM may enforce MFA for accessing privileged accounts to add an extra layer of security.
- Session Recording: PIM solutions may record and archive sessions involving privileged accounts for later review and auditing.
By implementing Privileged Identity Management, organizations can mitigate the risk of insider threats, external attacks, and accidental mismanagement of privileged accounts. It helps improve security, compliance, and accountability in the management of critical IT resources and data.
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