In cybersecurity, there are nearly as many acronyms as there are risk types, which doesn’t make navigating the already challenging landscape of cybersecurity any easier. One set of potentially confusing acronyms - Privileged Identity Management (PIM) and Privileged Access Management (PAM) - are increasingly important in the security conversation, and understanding the differences between PIM and PAM is essential for implementing effective security strategies, so we’re here to help break them down.
What is PIM and PAM?
Definition and purpose of PIM
Identity continues to drive security conversations. Privileged Identity Management (PIM) refers to the policies, procedures, and technologies used to manage and secure identities that have elevated permissions within an organization. PIM aims to ensure that privileged identities are only used when necessary and are continuously monitored. This involves managing the lifecycle of privileged accounts, from creation to deactivation, and includes enforcing strict controls over who can access these accounts and under what circumstances.
For example, in a financial institution, a PIM system might be used to manage the identities of system administrators who have access to sensitive financial data. By implementing PIM, the institution can ensure that only authorized personnel can access critical systems, and their activities are logged for auditing purposes.
Definition and purpose of PAM
Privileged Access Management (PAM) focuses on controlling and monitoring the access rights of privileged users to critical systems and information. PAM solutions typically include features such as session recording, password vaulting, and automated access controls. The primary goal of PAM is to minimize the risk of unauthorized access and mitigate potential security breaches by enforcing the principle of least privilege.
For instance, a PAM solution in a healthcare organization might restrict access to patient records to only those users who require it for their job functions. The solution would also record user sessions to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and to provide a forensic trail in the event of a security incident.
Why Is Privileged Access Management Important for Cybersecurity?
The risks of unmanaged privileged access
Unmanaged privileged access poses significant risks to an organization. Privileged accounts are often the target of cyberattacks because they provide access to critical systems and sensitive data. Without proper management, these accounts can be misused by insiders or exploited by external attackers to gain unauthorized access, leading to data breaches, financial loss, and reputational damage.
A notable example is the 2013 Target data breach, where attackers gained access to the retailer’s network using credentials stolen from a third-party vendor. Once inside, they escalated their privileges to move laterally across the network and exfiltrate sensitive customer data. This incident highlights the dangers of unmanaged privileged access and the need for robust PAM solutions.
Benefits of implementing PAM solutions
Implementing PAM solutions offers numerous benefits, including:
- Enhanced security: By controlling and monitoring privileged access, PAM solutions reduce the attack surface and minimize the risk of unauthorized access.
- Compliance: PAM solutions help organizations meet regulatory requirements by enforcing access controls and providing detailed audit logs.
- Operational efficiency: Automated access controls and password management streamline administrative tasks, reducing the burden on IT staff.
How PAM enhances security and compliance
PAM enhances security and compliance by enforcing the principle of least privilege, ensuring that users only have access to the resources necessary for their roles. PAM solutions also provide detailed audit logs and session recordings, which are essential for compliance with regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.
In the financial services industry, for example, PAM solutions are used to monitor and control access to trading platforms and financial databases. By enforcing strict access controls and maintaining comprehensive audit logs, financial institutions can demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements and protect sensitive financial data from unauthorized access.
The Role of Privileged Identity Management in Cybersecurity
Benefits of implementing PIM solutions
PIM solutions offer several benefits, which are very similar to PAM, but with some subtle differences:
- Improved security: By managing the lifecycle of privileged accounts, PIM solutions reduce the risk of account misuse and unauthorized access.
- Streamlined compliance: PIM solutions enforce policies and procedures that help organizations comply with regulatory requirements.
- Enhanced visibility: Continuous monitoring and logging of privileged account activities provide valuable insights into potential security threats.
A technology firm, for example, implemented a PIM solution to manage the identities of its development team, who had elevated permissions to access source code repositories. By using PIM, the firm could ensure that only authorized developers had access to the code, and all activities were logged for auditing purposes.
Challenges of managing privileged identities
Managing privileged identities can be challenging due to the complexity of IT environments and the diverse range of systems and applications that require privileged access. Key challenges include:
- Account proliferation: The sheer number of privileged accounts can make it difficult to track and manage them effectively.
- Password management: Ensuring that privileged account passwords are secure, unique, and regularly updated is a significant challenge.
- Compliance: Meeting regulatory requirements for privileged access management can be complex and resource intensive.
Organizations often face these challenges when trying to manage privileged identities across multiple cloud environments. A comprehensive PIM solution can help address these challenges by providing centralized management and automated workflows for privileged accounts.
Differences Between PIM and PAM
Objectives
The primary objective of PIM is to manage and secure the identities of privileged users, while PAM focuses on controlling and monitoring their access to critical systems. PIM aims to ensure that privileged identities are used appropriately and are continuously monitored, whereas PAM seeks to enforce the principle of least privilege and minimize the risk of unauthorized access.
Tools used
PIM solutions typically include tools for identity lifecycle management, access request workflows, and privileged account discovery. PAM solutions, on the other hand, often feature password vaulting, session recording, and automated access controls.
For example, a PIM solution might include a tool for automating the creation and deactivation of privileged accounts, while a PAM solution could provide a secure vault for storing and rotating privileged account passwords.
Focus on Identity vs. Access
PIM focuses on managing the lifecycle of privileged identities, including their creation, usage, and deactivation. PAM, however, concentrates on controlling and monitoring the access rights of privileged users to ensure that they only access the resources necessary for their roles.
Implementation
Implementing PIM typically involves defining policies and procedures for managing privileged identities, integrating with existing identity and access management (IAM) systems, and deploying tools for identity lifecycle management. PAM implementation, in contrast, often requires deploying password vaults, configuring access controls, and setting up monitoring and auditing capabilities.
For example, a large enterprise might implement PIM by integrating it with their existing IAM system to manage the identities of system administrators. They could then deploy PAM to control and monitor the administrators’ access to critical systems and sensitive data.
How Do PIM and PAM Work?
Features of PIM solutions
Key features of PIM solutions include:
- Identity lifecycle management: Automates the creation, modification, and deactivation of privileged accounts.
- Access request workflows: Streamlines the process for requesting and approving privileged access.
- Continuous monitoring: Tracks and logs privileged account activities to detect potential security threats.
For example, a PIM solution might automatically deactivate a privileged account when an employee leaves the organization, ensuring that former employees cannot access critical systems.
Features of PAM solutions
Key features of PAM solutions include:
- Password vaulting: Securely stores and rotates privileged account passwords.
- Session recording: Records user sessions to provide a forensic trail in the event of a security incident.
- Automated access controls: Enforces the principle of least privilege by restricting access to only those resources necessary for the user’s role.
For instance, a PAM solution might record all sessions involving access to a sensitive database, allowing security teams to review the recordings if a data breach is suspected.
Key Features of LastPass PIM and PAM Solutions
LastPass has several key features of both PIM and PAM solutions to help organizations of all sizes easily manage identity and access across accounts, reducing risk and unauthorized access. Good access management also offers a better user experience; IT teams can more easily assign the right level of access to the right resources and tools and employees get a more streamlined experience logging into the accounts they need to do their job, whether at home or in the office, on the corporate network or in the cloud.
Secure password management for privileged accounts
LastPass offers secure password management for privileged accounts, ensuring that passwords are stored in an encrypted vault. In addition to ensuring that passwords are the strongest and safest they can be, LastPass offers password sharing so that teams can have the right level of access while at the same time dramatically reducing the risk of unauthorized use for anyone from internal employees, contractors, vendors, or bad actors. This feature reduces the risk of password-related security incidents and simplifies password management for IT teams.
Multi-factor authentication and access control
LastPass provides multi-factor authentication (MFA) and access control features to enhance security. By requiring multiple forms of verification, LastPass ensures that only authorized users can access privileged accounts. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access and helps organizations comply with regulatory requirements.
Audit and compliance reporting capabilities
Security is not a “nice to have”; it’s essential to do business across industries, and organizations need to have the proof that they are trustworthy entities, protecting customer and patient data. LastPass includes robust audit and compliance reporting capabilities, allowing organizations to track and log all privileged account activities. These reports are essential for demonstrating compliance with regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS, and provide valuable insights into potential security threats.
How LastPass PIM and PAM Work Together
Integration and synergy between PIM and PAM
LastPass PIM and PAM features are designed to work seamlessly together, providing a comprehensive approach to managing and securing privileged accounts. By integrating PIM and PAM, organizations can ensure that privileged identities are managed effectively and that access to critical systems is tightly controlled and monitored.
For instance, LastPass offers admins customization and automation when it comes to onboarding and offboarding privileged users while enforcing access guardrails. You can plug LastPass into your existing technical infrastructure, like Active Directory, and tweak the LastPass experience to best fit your organization's needs. When the user profile is disabled or deleted, LastPass reflects those changes in real-time. The Admin Console is the command central for setting and overseeing all things related to user status, product usage, policies, and user permissions.
Streamlining access management processes
The integration of LastPass PIM and PAM streamlines access management processes, reducing the burden on IT teams and improving operational efficiency. Automated workflows and centralized management make it easier to manage privileged accounts and enforce access controls.
Improving security and efficiency
By combining PIM and PAM, LastPass enhances both security and efficiency. The comprehensive approach ensures that privileged identities are managed throughout their lifecycle and that access to critical systems is controlled and monitored. This reduces the risk of security incidents and improves compliance with regulatory requirements.
Choosing the Right PIM and PAM Solution
Factors to consider when selecting a PIM/PAM solution
When selecting a PIM/PAM solution, organizations should consider several factors, including:
- Scalability: Ensure the solution can scale to meet the needs of your organization as it grows.
- Integration: Look for a solution that integrates seamlessly with your existing IT infrastructure.
- Ease of use: Choose a solution that is easy to deploy and manage.
- Compliance: Verify that the solution helps meet regulatory requirements relevant to your industry.
Benefits of choosing LastPass for PIM/PAM
LastPass offers several benefits for PIM/PAM, including:
- Comprehensive security: LastPass provides major identity and access security features, including secure password management, MFA, and audit capabilities.
- Ease of use: LastPass is user-friendly and easy to deploy, reducing the burden on IT teams. It’s currently improving secure access for over 100,000 enterprises and millions of individuals.
- Integration: LastPass integrates seamlessly with existing IT infrastructure, making it easy to manage and secure privileged accounts.
- Compliance: LastPass helps organizations meet regulatory requirements by providing detailed audit logs and compliance reporting.
LastPass helps support both PIM and PAM efforts, with capabilities that support managing privileged identities, while also controlling and monitoring access to critical systems. With LastPass, organizations can enhance their security posture with critical password management and MFA functions, streamline access management processes with centralized admin dashboards and automated user directions, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and in-depth reporting.
Find out how LastPass can help you secure access across your organization by starting a free business trial today.
