The best privileged access management solutions

Overview of privileged access

What is privileged access? 

Computer user accounts can be divided into two categories: standard and privileged. A privileged, or admin, account has powerful permissions to make changes on a computer. These include the ability to install and remove software, change settings, and access sensitive data. 

Why giving everyone admin rights is a bad idea 

With such powerful permissions, there are a few key reasons that giving everyone admin rights is a bad idea. 

Security risk: When a user has admin rights, it puts their computer and your entire network at greater risk. A simple mistake can introduce malware, disable security features, and cause other problems, especially when the user’s primary account has admin rights. Malicious actors that gain access to your network specifically target users with admin rights to gain greater control over your network. The more people you have with such accounts, the easier it is for your workers or malicious actors to cause serious damage. 

Accidental damage: Even without malicious intent, a user with admin rights can cause damage by installing incompatible software, deleting system files, and modifying important system settings.  

Data loss: Users with admin rights have broad access to files on a computer or network share. They may accidentally delete important company data, causing significant disruptions. 

Benefits of using privileged access management 

Most users on your network should not have admin rights, but it can be frustrating to users and technicians when certain tasks can’t be performed with a standard account. One solution is Privileged Access Management (PAM) — a tool that reduces your attack surface, allows more granular control over admin rights, and improves monitoring and logging. 

Reduced attack surface: Admin rights are like a master key that gives access to everything. Just like limiting the number of master keys to a building keeps it more secure, limiting the number of people that have admin rights reduces the amount of damage that can be done if someone’s account is compromised. 

More granular control: Admin rights are often all-or-nothing; you have them or you don’t. You can make these permissions limited and temporary. You can choose what admin tasks can be performed by a requesting user. When a request for admin rights is received, a technician can review it, approve or deny it, and set a time limit. 

Better monitoring and logging: With detailed logs, you can keep track of when someone tries to use admin privileges and what they’re trying to do. This can help you to more quickly identify compromised accounts and take corrective action. 

Here are our thoughts on three of the best PAM solutions: AutoElevate, Admin By Request, and ThreatLocker. First, here’s a quick comparison table.