Managing privileged access involves more than just securing systems. It requires ensuring that authorized individuals access the appropriate source at the right time.
According to HIPAA Journal, in 2023, the average cost of a data breach in the U.S. was $9.48 million, highlighting the urgent need for robust access management strategies.
In fact, as per Educause, to mitigate these risks, organizations often rely on cybersecurity frameworks like NIST and CMMC to strengthen their security posture and achieve compliance.
With so many tools like identity management systems and cloud security tools available for managing access, a major challenge lies in choosing the right tool that fits your business needs.
Two such tools are Privileged Identity Management (PIM) and Privileged Access Management (PAM), each serving a unique purpose. Picking the wrong one leads to an increase in security risks and operational inefficiencies.
Let’s help you in this situation by providing a complete comparison of PIM vs PAM based on factors like:
- Focus areas and level of control
- Risk mitigation strategies
- Compliance alignment and integration capabilities
Keep reading to know which solution aligns more with your unique security needs and how to make an informed decision.
Privileged Identity Management (PIM) is identity-centric, focusing on handling and controlling the lifecycle of privileged user identities. PIM ensures that only authorized individuals can access sensitive resources based on the roles assigned to those identities.
PIM solutions integrate easily with used Identity and Access Management (IAM) platforms like Okta and Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). Integrating PIM helps businesses to execute just-in-time (JIT) access which also ensures that privileged credentials are active only when required.
Privileged identity management solutions also provide automated identity workflows like approval processes for access requests and temporary elevation of privileges. Such an approach reduces the attack surfaces by limiting excessive or permanent access. Here are the key features of PIM:
- Privileged Session Monitoring: To track user activity.
- Audit Trails and Reports: To ensure regulatory compliance.
- Identity and Access Management (IAM) Solutions Integration: To streamline identity governance.
Identity security is strengthened with the help of PIM which also makes it easier to manage, monitor, and secure privileged users while maintaining compliance with industry regulations.
Privileged Access Management (PAM) is access-centric, all about securing and managing access to critical systems and sensitive information used by privileged users. Unlike PIM focuses on managing identities, PAM zeroes in on controlling the pathways users take to access critical resources.
PAM solutions help businesses apply the principle of least privilege (PoLP) by granting only the necessary access per users' roles. These solutions also prevent lateral movement in cyberattacks, a risk highlighted in incidents like the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack in the U.S. PAM ensures that attackers cannot exploit elevated access to move across systems. Check out the important features that PAM includes:
- Credential Vaulting: To securely store and manage privileged account passwords.
- Session Recording and Monitoring: To track and analyze privileged user activity in real-time.
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA): To provide extra security for accessing privileged accounts.
Integrating reliable PAM solutions like Securden helps effectively mitigate security risks and prevents data breaches. The platform offers advanced functionalities like credential management and integration with existing IT infrastructure, which makes it a scalable solution to adapt to your security requirements.
Whether you're aiming to boost your compliance efforts or enhance operational security, Securden's privileged access management (PAM) solution makes sure that privileged access stays secure and well-regulated.
Simplify Access Control and Prevent Breaches
Use Securden’s advanced PAM solution for automated workflows, multi-factor authentication, and secure credential management.
Here is a complete table highlighting the difference between privileged identity management and privileged access management based on several factors.
| Factor |
Privileged Identity Management (PIM) |
Privileged Access Management (PAM) |
| Focus |
Identity-centric
It manages privileged identities and their lifecycles |
Access-centric
It secures and controls privileged access to critical systems |
| Purpose |
Ensures only authorized users receive privileged roles for a limited time |
Prevents unauthorized access to privileged accounts and systems |
| Scope |
Covers:
- Management of privileged identities
- Role approvals
- Identity lifecycle management
|
Covers:
- Privileged access security
- Session monitoring
- Credential protection
|
| Access Duration |
Grants time-bound privileged identity assignments that expire automatically |
Provides continuous or time-restricted access to critical resources based on policies |
| Control Mechanism |
Implements strict approval processes before assigning privileged roles |
Implements just-in-time (JIT) access, session recording, and automated password rotation |
| Security Approach |
Uses:
- Identity authentication
- Role-based access control
- Least privilege enforcement
|
Uses:
- Privileged credential vaulting
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Least privilege access policies
|
| Threat Mitigation |
Prevents privilege creep, identity theft, and unauthorized role escalation |
Reduces insider threats, credential abuse, and external cyberattacks targeting privileged accounts |
| Visibility & Auditing |
Logs privileged identity assignments, role changes, and approval workflows |
Provides detailed audit logs, session recordings, and real-time monitoring of privileged sessions |
| Primary Use Case |
Manages:
- Who can receive privileged roles
- Duration of privileged role assignment
|
Controls and monitors:
- Who can access privileged accounts
- How long they can access sensitive data
|
| Integration |
Works with:
- Identity governance platforms
- Single sign-on (SSO) solutions
- Directory services
|
Integrates with:
- Password vaults
- Endpoint security solutions
- SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) tools
|
| User Access Management |
- Assigns privileged roles dynamically
- Revokes them when no longer needed
|
- Restricts access to privileged accounts
- Enforces least privilege
- Monitors user activity
|
| Compliance Support |
Helps meet identity governance regulations such as:
- SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act)
- GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
|
Assists in meeting access security and audit compliance such as:
- HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
- PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard)
|
| Examples |
- Microsoft PIM
- CyberArk
- Oracle Identity Governance
|
- Securden
- StrongDM
- Delinea
|
Privileged identity management ensures that only authorized users are granted privileged roles. Using role-based access control (RBAC), PIM focuses on handling the entire lifecycle of these identities by assigning roles for a specific time. It assists in preventing privilege creep and unauthorized role escalation. Not only this, but it improves security and compliance by automatically revoking roles when not required.
Privileged access management secures critical system access by managing and controlling who accesses privileged accounts. PAM focuses mostly on monitoring and protecting these privileged accounts through session reduction, multi-factor authentication, credential vaulting, and many more. It prevents unauthorized use and limits the chances of insider threats. Also, its real-time access control and auditing ensures privileged access stays secure and compliant.
PIM and PAM cater to slightly different cybersecurity challenges, though they exhibit a lot of similarities. On one side, PIM manages identities & controls their lifecycle, and on the other side, PAM secures and monitors privileged access. To get a complete approach to securing a privileged environment, businesses must implement both solutions or choose a platform that provides both solutions. Such a combination offers strong identity governance and least privilege enforcement.
Optimize Cost and Security with Securden
Whether you need cost-effective identity security or a complete access control solution, Securden offers scalable options.
The choice between PIM and PAM as a security solution depends on your business’s unique needs. PIM is ideal when you want to manage privileged identities and ensure proper access based on roles. On the other side, PAM is ideal when you want to control, monitor, and audit access to sensitive systems or data.
Try Securden if you are looking for a reliable solution for identity or access management. With capabilities like discovering and managing highly privileged accounts, Securden ensures full control over your critical IT assets. Easy integration with Active Directory and SIEM also offers scalability and ease of use for enterprises of any size.
If you are looking for a leading solution in identity and access management, including privileged account management, reach out to Securden. Book a demo to learn how Securden streamlines your access management process and protects your assets.
