{"id":4801,"date":"2020-02-12T14:07:08","date_gmt":"2020-02-12T18:07:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/solutionsreview.com\/identity-management\/?p=4801"},"modified":"2020-02-12T14:07:08","modified_gmt":"2020-02-12T18:07:08","slug":"how-do-privileged-identity-management-tools-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/solutionsreview.com\/identity-management\/how-do-privileged-identity-management-tools-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do Privileged Identity Management Tools Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"How<\/p>\n

How exactly do privileged identity management (PIM) tools work? What capabilities do they provide enterprises\u2019 identity management and cybersecurity strategies? Why should your organization adopt them?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We can broadly categorize every business\u2019 user-base into two camps: users and superusers. The former (ideally under identity management) should only have permissions to the data pertaining to their jobs within the company.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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However, the latter\u2019s permissions extend far, far beyond that limitation. For example, privileged users could obtain sensitive data, change workflows, escalate permissions, and even destroy the network.<\/span><\/p>\n

Obviously, hackers target privileged credentials more than any other target for precisely that reason; in their hands, privileged accounts could allow hackers to pull off substantial financial crimes or steal valuable data. Additionally, if a user decides to abuse their credentials, they could become an insider threat of a dangerous scale.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately, privileged identity management tools<\/a> work to curtail hackers\u2019 goals. Here\u2019s how.<\/span><\/p>\n

How Privileged Identity Management Tools Work\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

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1. Limiting Privileges (And Privileged Users)<\/b><\/h3>\n

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Not every manager can or should have privileged credentials; the fewer accounts which possess extensive privileges, the smaller your enterprise\u2019s potential attack surface. Further, if those privileged users can only access certain resources, then even in the wrong hands the damage a hacker can wreak becomes limited.<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, privileged identity management tools enforce the Principle of Least Privilege across all users. This principle states that users should only possess permissions they absolutely need to perform their roles; further, this principle extends to the most powerful users in your network.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As part of this enforcement, PIM tools help enterprises extend their visibility over their users. Visibility is key to any cybersecurity policy and identity management strategy; after all, you cannot hope to protect what remains outside your vision.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Privileged identity management requires that any new superuser accounts specify their permissions and reason for accepting; this prevents any new account from evading your cybersecurity policies. Additionally, privilege monitoring can help you find superuser accounts that previously eluded your IT team in the past. As such, it can help prevent the development of orphaned accounts.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Further, privileged identity management tools can monitor for changes, updates, and other modifications in your IT infrastructure; this prevents malicious users from making changes that could compromise your data or workflows.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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2. Improved Authentication<\/b><\/h3>\n

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A recurring theme in cybersecurity and identity management, in particular, is the inadequacy of passwords. Unfortunately, passwords can\u2019t protect modern users or modern databases in the wake of digital threats. Hackers can far too easily guess passwords (especially weak passwords like \u201c123456\u201d) or crack them with simple tools. Otherwise, threat actors could always just exploit social media and make educated guesses based on public information or phish the information.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, single-factor authentication provides as much protection as a sign over an open door that says \u201cNo Entry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Thankfully, privileged identity management tools provide more sophisticated authentication options; usually, this manifests as multifactor authentication (MFA) capabilities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

MFA operates off the simple yet effective premise that the more factors between the access request and the data, the more difficult hacking becomes. These capabilities may still use passwords, but they also incorporate:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n