Privileged Access Management

Privileged Access Management (PAM) is a cybersecurity strategy and set of technologies focused on controlling, monitoring, and securing access to privileged accounts and credentials within an organization. It involves managing elevated permissions for administrators, systems, and applications to prevent unauthorized access and reduce the risk of data breaches. PAM solutions typically include features like password vaulting, session monitoring, and just-in-time access provisioning.

Also known as: PAM, Privileged Account Management, Privileged Identity Management, Privileged Session Management, Privileged Credential Management

Why learn Privileged Access Management?

Developers should learn PAM to implement secure access controls in applications and infrastructure, especially when building systems that handle sensitive data or require administrative privileges. It's critical for compliance with regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS, and for mitigating insider threats and external attacks targeting privileged accounts. Use cases include securing cloud environments, DevOps pipelines, and enterprise IT systems where least-privilege access is essential.

Learning Resources

• docs: NIST Special Publication 800-53: Security and Privacy Controls
• docs: Gartner: Market Guide for Privileged Access Management
• course: Coursera: Cybersecurity Specialization
• video: YouTube: What is Privileged Access Management?
• docs: OWASP: Session Management Cheat Sheet