PAM for Continuity, Security, and Compliance
A decade ago, primarily large corporations and institutions implemented Privileged Access Management (PAM) due to legal requirements, says Marco Ditzel, IAM Security Consultant at Cegeka. “Today, PAM solutions are widely embraced, regardless of the organization’s size or sector. Recent growth in PAM adoption is driven not only by compliance requirements like NIS2 and DORA but also by its significant contributions to business continuity and securing an organization’s crown jewels.”
Cyber Hygiene and PAM
“Cyber hygiene and PAM are inseparable,” Marco adds. “Good cyber hygiene requires continuous attention to securing privileged accounts and access rights. By regularly identifying risks, managing, and monitoring privileged accounts, you create a secure IT environment. This minimizes risks, prevents security incidents, and ensures compliance with applicable regulations. As a result, you enhance overall security and keep your organization safe.”
Investing in PAM: Future Savings and Benefits
Ricardo Kowsoleea emphasizes that investing in PAM not only reduces future costs but also generates value by decreasing security incidents, improving IT management efficiency, and achieving compliance, thus avoiding financial penalties.
The Need for PAM Technology
Within Identity & Access Management (IAM), PAM focuses on securing and managing privileged access. It includes solutions such as password rotation, password vaults, role-based access control (RBAC), session management, and audit trails.
“Naturally, PAM processes can theoretically be designed on a napkin and performed manually,” Ricardo explains. “However, organizations often manage thousands of passwords and secrets. Manual execution isn’t just impractical—it’s highly error-prone. If you want to approach PAM seriously, you need a dedicated solution with a high degree of automation.”
The Evolution of PAM: Tailored and Continuously Developing
PAM, Marco explains, isn’t a plug-and-play solution like antivirus software. “To align PAM with an organization’s specific risks, security posture, and processes, a tailored solution is necessary.”
Ricardo compares implementing a PAM solution to an evolution: “The initial phase, lasting just a few weeks, lays a solid foundation. After that, you enter a maturity phase, where a clear PAM roadmap guides incremental improvements.” This phased approach helps organizations keep their PAM environment up-to-date amid regulatory pressures and evolving security risks. “Additionally, you can enhance PAM functionality and integrate it with a broader IT landscape to ensure continuous protection.”
Early Results: A Successful Start with PAM
“The PAM foundation provides sufficient coverage for your current risk exposure,” says Marco. “The question is which measures to implement to reach this level. This requires analyzing risks, security posture, and operations.”
Marco elaborates, “The first step is assessing risks and the state of privileged access in your organization through a comprehensive scan. This scan identifies risks, like outdated passwords, and informs targeted mitigation strategies. For example, if 3,000 account passwords haven’t been reset in over five years, a month-long effort can significantly reduce this risk.” Regular scans also track progress and measure risk reduction.
People, Process, and Technology
PAM’s success relies heavily on the interplay between people, processes, and technology, Marco explains. “Technology is critical, but it represents only 30% of the overall success. Establishing secure access procedures, embedding them into workflows, and educating employees are key aspects.”
Ricardo adds, “The end users of a PAM solution are IT administrators. PAM tools affect their workflows and closely monitor their actions. Designing PAM with their mindset and work habits in mind turns it into an enabler, enhancing their efficiency while improving security.”
PAM by Design
Cegeka’s PAM teams follow the "PAM by design" principle to harmonize people, processes, and technology. Marco explains, “When deploying new applications, you should consider privileged access from the start. Automating privileged access processes, facilitating IT administrators’ tasks, and managing privileged account lifecycles should all be part of the design.”
Cegeka Managed PAM (MPAM)
For organizations seeking a turnkey PAM solution, Cegeka offers a managed service, handling implementation, management, monitoring, updates, and continuous improvement. This includes all necessary licenses with predictable monthly costs.
With MPAM, you achieve production readiness in weeks and experience immediate benefits. Powered by leading PAM SaaS technology and delivered by experts with over two decades of experience, MPAM helps maintain control, reduce risks, and ensure compliance.