What are the most effective IAM strategies for securing privileged accounts?

The starting point should be a well defined Joiner Mover Leaver (JML) policy to keep track of any addition, changes and removal of user accounts in the environment. The same can be automated using the right Identity and Access Management (IDAM) tool. Second step should be to define the role to ensure that everything flows in a structured manner and aligns well with your RBAC implementation. Finally, like always automate as much as possible. Make simple yet robust workflows to ensure the compliance is repeatable and consistent.

Securing privileged accounts is a critical aspect of maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive information within an organization. One of the most effective IAM (Identity and Access Management) strategies for this purpose is to adhere to the principle of least privilege. The principle of least privilege involves granting users the minimum level of access necessary for them to perform their job functions. By avoiding unnecessary privileges, especially administrative rights, this strategy reduces the potential impact of a security breach.

Institutions work with external consultants to support some applications such as SAP, apart from their own IT team. Regular monitoring and auditing is required to prevent and monitor these consultants from sharing the password or entering an unwanted command.

Managing a privileged IT and outsourcing support team without a tool like PAM means trusting the relevant team not to make any intentional or unintentional mistakes. However, it is possible to eliminate these risks by recording the session with a tool such as PAM and setting up a warning system for certain commands, which I think is a very important feature. It also has other features such as being a password safe, changing the password at any time and in the desired way, and not even a privileged user knowing the password responds to the needs of the enterprise.

Como já foi comentado aqui, relatórios de conformidade podem ajudar a encontrar desvios de comportamento e trazer melhoria constante para o processo, que indiscutivelmente é um dos mais relevantes mecanismos de proteção contra ataques nos dias atuais. Nesse mesmo sentido, reforce o monitoramento da aderência às políticas e busque a geração de alertas de risco de não-conformidade para o mais próximo do tempo real. Quanto mais rápido for identificado um eventual incidente que indique a falha dos controles, menor a chance que este se materialize de forma relevante na sua empresa.

Privileged Access Management (PAM) can become a liability Poorly managing PAM can become an organization's high security risk. It is hence imperative for any Identity Access Management (IAM) Strategy to incorporate: 1. Tracking of assets and privileges 2. Deployment of attribute-based access control(ABAC) which takes into account access and environment 3. Deployment of Zero based trust 4. Employing temporary privileges, and only escalate on a need basis. 5. The escalation policies must include reasons for escalation and other constraining attributes such as location, type of operation etc. 6. Proper audit, monitoring and alert processes are critical. User awareness and training cannot be overemphasized!!!

I will love to add the use of Identity Governance which deals with strictly defining who has access to the system and what they can do. Carry out regular reviews and updates on privileged account to monitor those who have such access to the system.