The days of creating a perimeter around your systems and data and then installing tools to keep threats out have long passed. The continually-changing nature of threats to your information and the expanding attack surface means that you need a different kind of cyber security strategy.

Complicating cyber security solutions is the pandemic, which has further dispersed employees and changed the way that they access network resources. In addition, the acceleration of digital transformation over the same time period has increased and changed the ways in which hackers are operating. They are innovating to take advantage of the broader digital threat surface.

Cybercriminals are becoming more adept at stealing credentials in order to break into vulnerable parts of your network, but using privileged access management (PAM) as a gatekeeper can help you gain better control over who has access to resources and under what circumstances.

Almost Everyone Welcome: PAM is a cyber security strategy that allows you to offer first-level entry to almost everyone where the least-sensitive systems and information reside, then increase the requirements as more critical information is accessed.

Entry for Super Users: There are certain areas that will allow your users to make changes to applications, add or remove users. or eliminate sets of data. These may be domain administrators that have extensive permission to access the network. PAM grants administrative-level access only to those who need it to perform their job functions.

Limited Access: These areas are not authorized for a typical user. It will be only employees with the highest levels of clearance to handle sensitive data, such as human resources information, non-public financial reports, and other sensitive information. Only a select few people should have access to this data, and it should be tightly controlled in terms of when and how it can be viewed. Attackers often try to escalate their level of privilege in your system to view these kinds of critical data.

Case-Specific Entry: There may be circumstances in which someone outside of your business is allowed access to systems. This may be a third-party contractor or consultant involved in project management that needs permission to use a small set of data or a particular shared document. This is a potential security risk because it requires a similar culture around cyber security strategy and the ability to trust a separate organization’s practices and policies.

Once the project is finished, it is critical that privileged access is discontinued to prevent any chance of an attacker using it to exploit your company.

Choosing the right cyber security strategy for your company is increasingly important as attacks continue to change and increase. Beginning with a PAM approach helps narrow the access that each employee has to your systems and data. To learn more about protecting your business and your customers, contact us at S2 Solutions. We work to help you leverage the best cyber security solutions in a holistic approach to technology that supports your business goals.