In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, traditional perimeter-based security measures are proving inadequate. The focus has shifted towards securing communications between people, systems, and networks, recognizing that most cybersecurity risks stem from a small subset of users known as superusers, constituting just one out of every 200 users. To bridge this gap and enhance security, companies like SSH Communications Security are pioneering the integration of Privileged Access Management (PAM) and Identity Management (IdM) solutions.
Effective cybersecurity demands seamless integration between PAM and IdM solutions to secure user access and identities, including both regular users and privileged users. Traditional solutions often struggle to achieve this level of integration.
Microsoft Entra, for example, manages all identities and provides basic-level access. However, as the criticality of targets and data increases, the duration of sessions decreases, necessitating additional protection. This is where SSH Communications Security steps in, offering advanced security solutions to address these challenges.
Understanding the Components: PIM, PAM, and IAM
Privileged Identity Management (PIM), Privileged Access Management (PAM), and Identity and Access Management (IAM) are interconnected components crucial for managing and securing digital identities, users, and access. Each component serves a specific purpose:
- PIM focuses on managing root user identities and authorizations.
- PAM focuses on managing root user access to critical resources and auditing.
- IAM focuses on managing basic user identities, authorizations, and access to resources.
Securing Your Superusers
Not all digital identities are equal. While typical users may only need access to standard office tools, superusers require special attention due to their access to critical assets. These superusers, though few in number, carry significant risks, as they can access crucial data, databases, infrastructures, and networks. Therefore, they require access controls beyond traditional identity-based authentication.
To effectively bridge the gap between PAM and IdM, a future-proof cybersecurity model is essential. This model should be borderless, passwordless, keyless, and biometric, adhering to the principles of Zero Trust. This approach eliminates implicitly trusted users, connections, applications, servers, and devices, providing an additional layer of security through passwordless, keyless, and biometric authentication methods.
