How PAM and PIM Differ and Complement Each Other in Cybersecurity

Safeguarding your organization’s digital space with constant cyber threats is a challenge. Privileged Access Management (PAM) and Privileged Identity Management (PIM) are two important solutions that protects your company from unwanted security breaches. 

The COVID pandemic has shown us a growing number of working styles, like working from home, hybrid, etc. Now such a type of working style makes the user access more vulnerable, which in turn makes the organization weak.

Identity and Access Management is a solution for one such issue. It helps the organization to safeguard its sensitive data as well as share it with the employees. For example, an intern will need access to the company sensitive systems but not in their entirety. IAM helps in managing user access as well as the limitation of access.

What is Privileged Identity Management (PIM) 

One of the first steps in protecting your critical systems and resources from unauthorized access is through Identity and Access Management. Privileged Identity Management (PIM) provides access to only privileged users while safeguarding any unwanted breach of sensitive data.

While working with data systems and resources, it is the sole pillar that builds privacy for the customers as well as their own trade secrets. As the name itself suggests, PIM keeps track of the user identities that can and cannot access the database.

A user with privileged accounts will be able to access the data without any hindrance from anywhere. Unlike the traditional way of being in the official zone, it will not restrict the worker. For example, employees will get smooth but limited user permissions. The identities can be easily managed and monitored by PIM. 

What is Privileged Access Management (PAM)?

Privileged Access Management (PAM), as the name itself suggests, is for managing the limit of access. It acts as a second step to the PIM solutions. The identities with privileged access are put into a boundary. The limitations, according to the roles of the privileged identities, are set through these services. It is a management of the limitation of the access given to the identities.

A critical and confidential system, when accessed by different people, is important to control the access. It ensures that a person with privileged credentials of an identity can access only the amount of data needed for the role. It prevents unwanted breaches of information from beginners or leaks of identity credentials. PAM secures, monitors, and secures access control of data, creating a safe space for the company.

Key Differences Between PIM and PAM

PIM and PAM might appear as similar but are quite different from one another. PIM as a solution provides identity control, and PAM is used for controlling the access of the same identity. PIM is a big part of the IAM. PAM, on the other hand, is a limited space allotted to these identities according to their roles. For example, 26% of casualties in incidents come from employees' mismanagement of credentials. 

PAM limits, secures, and puts a boundary on the database or server or applications, etc. This service also includes real-time monitoring, which helps in keeping the data safe 24/7. This reduces the insider threat that comes under the 26% of internal threats, which is almost equal to the percentage of hacking attacks. 

PIM filters out privileged user identities that can access the critical files. There is also a certain time limit allotted to these privileged user accounts with cycles reviewing or renewing the time. The difference is in the “who” and “how” section. PIM monitors the “who” part, which basically deals with the identities. PAM deals with the “how” part, that is, how much access is provided to these identities. 

How PAM and PIM Complement Each Other?

The complementing part is inevitable, as it is not just mandatory for who is accessing but also how. Each completes each other, which helps us cover the security from both sides of the box. For example, if we secure the “who” accessing part and ignore “how” much access, it might lead to a disastrous breach one time or the other. The same can happen if focus is on “how” much access, ignoring “who" can access.

PIM and PAM together can create a wall, securing the data. It will protect the most sensitive and vulnerable particulars of the organization. It also provides protection to the employees while working in non-traditional working conditions. It will enable organizations to manage the identities working in remote conditions while also giving them restricted access, making the work smoother. It creates a zero-trust structure leading to safe and secure environments.

Why Organizations Need Both?

Important trade secrets or important files that lie in your server and database are some of the vulnerable areas in need of protection from outer hackers or competitors or enemies.

Another issue is that of credential mismanagement. Often the employee credentials act as a vulnerability. PIM and PAM, when working together, can become a safety net. PIM and PAM, when working together, can also give a secure platform to work in a hybrid or remote style. 

Conclusion

PIM and PAM are two different but important solution services. They complement each other and work best when put together in service. One deals with identity while the other deals with access. Together they form a whole circle, completing the safety net of the organization.

TechDemocracy provides both solutions, which can further strengthen your organization. It can act as a safeguard for the database from internal and external attacks through identities.