What is PAM in Networking?

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Privileged Access Management (PAM) is a security framework designed to manage, monitor, and control access to sensitive systems, data, and applications. It provides a centralized platform to manage privileged accounts, which have elevated permissions to access critical resources.

How Does PAM Work?

  1. Privileged Account Discovery – Identifies all privileged accounts across the organization.
  2. Account Onboarding – Creates, updates, or deletes privileged accounts as needed.
  3. Access Request & Approval – Users request access, and PAM routes requests to approvers.
  4. Session Management – Establishes secure sessions and monitors them in real-time.
  5. Session Recording & Auditing – Logs all activities for compliance and security.
  6. Password Management – Securely stores, rotates, and manages privileged passwords.

Tools Used in PAM

  • Privileged Account Management Software: CyberArk, BeyondTrust, Centrify.
  • Password Vaults: HashiCorp Vault, Thycotic Secret Server.
  • Session Management Tools: Bomgar, ObserveIT.
  • Auditing & Logging Tools: Splunk, ELK Stack.

Benefits of PAM

✅ Improved Security – Reduces risks of insider threats and cyberattacks.
✅ Compliance – Helps meet GDPR, HIPAA, and other regulations.

✅ Efficiency – Automates account management tasks.

✅ Visibility & Control – Real-time monitoring of privileged sessions.

Best Practices for Implementing PAM

✔ Conduct a privileged account discovery to identify all critical accounts.

✔ Use a centralized PAM platform (e.g., CyberArk).

✔ Follow the principle of least privilege (PoLP).

✔ Regularly review and update PAM policies.

You Should Know: Essential PAM Commands & Practices

Linux Privileged Access Management

1. Check Sudo Access:

sudo -l

2. View Sudoers File:

sudo cat /etc/sudoers

3. Monitor Active Sessions:

who 
w

4. Audit User Commands (Using auditd) – Track privileged commands:

sudo auditctl -a exit,always -F arch=b64 -S execve

Windows PAM-Related Commands

1. List Local Admins:

net localgroup Administrators

2. Check User Privileges:

whoami /priv

3. Enable PowerShell Logging (For Auditing):

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Force 
Start-Transcript -Path "C:\logs\session_audit.txt"

Password & Session Security

  • Rotate Passwords Automatically (Linux):
    chage -M 30 username  Force password change every 30 days
  • Restrict SSH Access:
    sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config 
Set: PermitRootLogin no 
Set: AllowUsers admin1 admin2

What Undercode Say

PAM is crucial for securing high-level access in enterprises. Without it, attackers can exploit admin accounts, leading to data breaches. Implementing session recording, least privilege, and automated password rotation reduces risks.

🔹 Future of PAM: AI-driven anomaly detection will enhance real-time threat response.
🔹 Key Takeaway: Always audit privileged sessions and enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Expected Output

A structured guide on PAM with actionable Linux/Windows commands for security professionals.

🔗 References:

Prediction

PAM will integrate AI-based behavioral analytics to detect insider threats faster, reducing response time from hours to seconds.

References:

Reported By: Ahmed Bawkar – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

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