There’s no such thing as a “good” cyber-attack. Still, some are undoubtedly worse than others. One of the most dangerous is when a privileged account is breached.
The more access attackers gain, the more damage they can do. So, if they get into company servers, it’s nothing less than catastrophic.
Our vendor partner, Heimdal, has launched a new product to protect against that nightmare scenario: Privileged Access and Session Management (PASM).
PASM: what it is and why it matters
PASM is about managing and monitoring access to accounts and actions with high privileges.
Specifically, this means actions like making changes on a server. These privileged sessions involve access to mission-critical digital assets. The server may contain anything from intellectual property to sensitive personal data.
So, what might be a fairly routine action (say, installing software on a server) can also be extremely high-risk. In more complex organisations, many people may occasionally need to do tasks like these. They may include contractors or any number of people who shouldn't have permanent access to everything on the server.
If malicious actors can access privileged sessions (or target legitimate users with those privileges), the damage can be incalculable. PASM is about managing this problem, and Heimdal’s new solution is a fantastic example.
What does PASM do?
PASM gives organisations and MSPs fine control and complete oversight of privileged sessions. It enables control over server access and records and reports on sessions. So, users don't just have monitoring and management abilities—they also have an entire automated audit trail of all privileged sessions.
Like other Heimdal solutions, it provides an outstanding balance between security and convenience. Admins control the finest access control details, but long, tedious processes do not slow them down. Access requests are made and granted via Heimdal's PASM dashboard in a few clicks, with no downloads required.
So, let's take a brief look at the features and benefits.
Key features and benefits of PASM
Granular access control
Admins can grant different levels of privilege for different periods of time with a few clicks. This level of granular detail is more secure and makes it easier and more convenient for users to uphold their security policies.
Secure credential management
PASM offers a secure vault for privileged credentials to protect them from credential theft.
Regulator readiness
Not only are all access requests recorded, but PASM also screen-records all privileged sessions and logs all activity from the request for access to the session's conclusion.
Breach remediation
All these features combine to aid in the swift remediation of a breach. The audit trail helps you quickly identify the source of any breach (whether malicious or accidental) and make an informed decision about the next steps.
Instant oversight
Another benefit of storing privileged session information in one place is internal audits and reviews. PASM enables organisations to ensure that they’re maintaining their security policies.
Who is it for?
PASM is designed for organisations with complex security requirements. These may include larger enterprises or any organisation with many admins.
The solution could benefit any organisation in a tightly regulated sector, such as legal, healthcare, energy, finance, or any sector with strict compliance obligations.
It's worth remembering that the costs of a breach can include fines and direct financial or reputational loss from an attack. So, control and oversight of access (especially to privileged sessions) should always be a priority.
What it offers Brigantia partners
At Brigantia, we always prioritise bringing the highest-quality products to the channel, maximising value for MSPs by protecting their customers.
PASM offers precisely that. It protects businesses against the most severe breaches in a user-friendly and efficient way.
Do you have a question about PASM? We’d be delighted to provide a demo or answer any questions you may have, get in touch with our team.
