PAM (Privileged Access Management)

Password management poses a serious challenge even for individual users due to different platforms, complex password rules, and frequently changing security policies. At the enterprise level, this process becomes even more complex. Organizations must track privileged access for thousands of users and systems, create strong passwords, store them securely, and update them quickly when necessary.

However, many organizations still rely on manual methods such as spreadsheets to track passwords and manage privileged access. These methods can lead to vulnerabilities in both security and operational aspects. When users are expected to remember passwords and manually comply with security policies, human error becomes inevitable. This not only jeopardizes access continuity but also creates an environment that is vulnerable to cyber risks.

PAM is an identity and access management solution developed to manage, monitor, and protect access rights. Privileged accounts are accounts that have broader permissions than standard users and typically have access to critical and sensitive information. Each user's data access rights must be determined separately. This is because such accounts have become a priority target for cybercriminals. When privileged accounts are compromised, attackers can gain unlimited access to systems. PAM solutions reduce this risk and ensure the security of organizations. By empowering your security and IT operations teams, they enable you to quickly and easily secure different types of privileged accounts.

Key Components of PAM

A PAM strategy typically consists of the following building blocks:

Account Discovery: Finding and inventorying all privileged accounts within the organization.

Authorization Control: Restricting access based on role, time, and task. Eliminating unnecessary privileges.

Password Vault: Storing passwords for all managed privileged accounts in a central vault and changing them periodically.

Session Monitoring: Monitoring, recording, and analyzing privileged access sessions as needed.

Auditing and Reporting: Maintaining access logs for retrospective auditing and generating compliance reports.

Benefits of PAM Solutions

Enhanced Security: Critical assets are protected by preventing unauthorized access.

Legal Compliance: Compliance with standards such as KVKK, GDPR, and ISO 27001 is facilitated.

Operational Efficiency: IT processes are accelerated by centrally managing authorization requests.

Visibility and Traceability: Detailed monitoring of user actions contributes to the visibility and auditability of processes.

In summary, PAM provides a defense mechanism against both external threats and risks arising from internal errors by ensuring account security. With PAM solutions, an organization not only strengthens its data but also its security culture.