Privileged access management (PAM)

Privileged Access Management (PAM) is a set of processes and technologies aimed at securing and controlling privileged accounts and the credentials (passwords, keys, tokens) that grant elevated rights in IT environment. These accounts (e.g., system administrators, domain admins, root users) can significantly impact systems if misused. PAM solutions commonly include:

• Password vaulting to store and rotate high-privilege credentials
• Session management to record or monitor privileged sessions
• Just-in-time elevation (on-demand privileges)
• Access workflows requiring approvals for privileged tasks
• Automatic compliance and audit reports

Historically, PAM began as password vaulting for mainframe operators, but it has evolved into comprehensive governance of any elevated or domain-wide authority, covering on-prem, cloud, and hybrid. PAM tools forcibly change privileged passwords on a schedule, monitor keystrokes or commands, and can revoke elevated sessions in real time. Essentially, PAM aims to reduce the risk and scope of privileged account misuse.

How does it affect identity security?

Privileged accounts hold the proverbial “keys to the kingdom.” If attackers compromise these accounts, they can potentially exfiltrate data, install malware, or sabotage critical systems. Many catastrophic breaches (Sony in 2014, Target in 2013) escalated once privileged credentials were obtained. 

PAM enforces strict control over who can log in with high-level privileges, for how long, and what they can do. By rotating passwords frequently, it thwarts persistent attacker footholds. Session recording deters insiders or external hackers from executing malicious commands without detection. Workflows and approvals ensure that granting privileged access is always deliberate and documented. 

Overall, PAM is crucial to identity security because it limits and closely monitors the highest-risk accounts—those that can override security controls or access sensitive data. Without PAM, privileged credentials might be shared, rarely changed, or stored in plain text, making it easy for attackers to exploit. By implementing PAM, organizations reduce the blast radius if any single user or system is compromised, since privileged credentials are ephemeral, monitored, and segmented.

Case studies

In the Sony breach, attackers discovered plain-text files containing admin credentials. These privileged accounts let them pivot, exfiltrate confidential data, and deploy destructive malware. The incident highlighted the dangers of unprotected privileged credentials, spurring many organizations to adopt PAM solutions that vault and rotate admin passwords automatically.

Another example is the 2020 Twitter hack, where attackers gained access to an internal admin tool via compromised employee accounts. With these elevated privileges, they hijacked high-profile Twitter accounts. Proper PAM would have enforced stronger session monitoring, required approvals for account takeovers, and used just-in-time access with robust audits to detect suspicious manipulations earlier.

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