Privilege Manager
By SECURDEN, INC.
1.Discovery and Initiation
Identify and Classify Privileged Accounts: Begin by defining what constitutes a privileged account within the organization. This involves identifying all accounts that have elevated access and classifying them based on their criticality to business operations.
Risk Assessment: Conduct a thorough risk assessment to understand the potential threats and vulnerabilities associated with privileged accounts.
2.Definition and Planning
Develop IT Security Policies: Create and formalize security policies that explicitly cover the use and management of privileged accounts. This includes acceptable use policies and responsibilities for users with privileged access.
Scope Planning: Define the scope of the implementation, including which systems and accounts will be managed and the specific functionalities required from the Privilege Manager software.
3.Launch and Execution
Deploy Privilege Management Software: Install and configure the Privilege Manager software. This step involves setting up the software to manage and monitor privileged accounts, including password management, session monitoring, and access controls.
Implement Least Privilege: Apply the principle of least privilege to ensure that users have the minimum level of access necessary to perform their jobs. This step often starts with end-user machines before extending to servers and other critical systems.
4.Monitoring and Management
Continuous Monitoring: Implement continuous monitoring of privileged account activity to detect and respond to any suspicious behavior. This includes session recording, behavioral analytics, and real-time alerts for abnormal usage.
Audit and Review: Regularly audit and review privileged account activity to ensure compliance with security policies and identify any potential misuse or security incidents.
5.Optimization and Maturity
Integrate with Other Systems: Integrate the Privilege Manager software with other security and IT management systems to create a unified security framework. This may include integration with identity management systems, SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) solutions, and other IT infrastructure.
Continuous Improvement: Continuously refine and improve the privileged access management processes based on audit findings, user feedback, and evolving security threats.
Duration
The duration of the implementation process can vary widely based on several factors, including the size of the organization, the complexity of its IT environment, and the specific requirements of the Privilege Manager software. Generally, the process can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months. For example:
Small to Medium-Sized Organizations: Implementation can typically be completed within a few weeks to a couple of months, assuming a less complex IT environment and fewer privileged accounts to manage.
Customization Capabilities
1.User Roles and Permissions
Custom User Roles: Privilege Manager allows the creation of custom user roles with specific access permissions tailored to the needs of the organization. This includes assigning granular permissions to users based on their roles and responsibilities.
Role Entitlements: Administrators can view and edit the entitlements of custom roles, ensuring that each role has the appropriate permissions for their tasks.
2.Password Policies
Password Management: The software supports the customization of password policies to comply with regulatory requirements. This includes setting rules for password strength, expiration, and rotation.
Automated Password Rotation: Privilege Manager can automatically rotate local account passwords on a customizable schedule, ensuring adherence to best practices.
3.Application and Group Management
Application Control Policies: Administrators can define flexible policies to elevate, allow, deny, or restrict applications. These policies can be customized using a policy wizard to meet specific organizational needs.
Group Management: The software allows for the creation, management, and scheduling of user groups based on predefined rules. This ensures that group memberships and permissions are aligned with organizational requirements.
4.Reporting and Auditing
Custom Reporting: Privilege Manager provides pre-configured and fully customizable reporting capabilities. Administrators can create custom reports to monitor user activities, application usage, and compliance with security policies.
Audit Trails: The software maintains detailed audit trails of all privileged access and activities, which can be customized to include specific data points relevant to the organization.
5.User Interface Customization
Logo and Branding: Organizations can replace the default logo and branding with their own, ensuring that the software interface aligns with their corporate identity.
Text and Theme Customization: The text displayed in various parts of the user interface, such as the login page and elevation request forms, can be customized. Additionally, the color theme of the interface can be changed to match the organization's preferences.
6.Integration with Existing Systems
Active Directory Integration: Privilege Manager integrates with Active Directory (AD) and Azure AD, allowing organizations to synchronize domain objects and leverage existing user, group, and privilege associations in policy deployment.
API Access: The software provides RESTful API access, which can be customized to allow or deny specific roles, enabling integration with other systems and automation of tasks.
7.Temporary Access and Self-Service
Temporary Admin Access: The software allows for the configuration of temporary admin rights for users, which can be customized to be time-limited and specific to certain tasks or devices.
Self-Service Capabilities: Users can be granted self-service capabilities to perform tasks that usually require admin rights, reducing the burden on IT support and improving user productivity.
8.Security and Compliance
Zero Trust Policies: Privilege Manager supports the implementation of zero trust security policies, which can be customized to enforce least privilege and ensure compliance with various IT regulations.
Setup Fees
Initial Setup and Configuration: Some vendors may charge a one-time setup fee for the initial installation and configuration of the Privilege Manager software. This fee can vary depending on the complexity of the deployment and the level of customization required.
Implementation Services: Professional services for implementation, such as consulting, integration with existing systems, and customization to fit specific business needs, may also incur additional costs. These services ensure that the software is properly configured to meet the organization's requirements.
Maintenance and Support Charges
Annual Maintenance Fee: For perpetual licensing models, there is typically an annual maintenance fee that covers updates, patches, and technical support. This fee is usually a percentage of the initial licensing cost. For example, ManageEngine PAM360 includes the annual maintenance and support fee in the licensing fee, so customers do not have to pay an additional amount for it.
Subscription Model: In subscription-based models, maintenance and support are often included in the subscription fee. This means that customers pay a recurring fee that covers the use of the software, as well as ongoing maintenance and support services.
Support Services
Technical Support: Access to technical support is a critical component of maintaining the Privilege Manager software. Vendors may offer different levels of support (e.g., standard, premium) with varying response times and availability. The cost of these support services can be included in the annual maintenance fee or subscription fee, or it may be an additional charge depending on the support plan chosen.
Training and Education: Some vendors offer training programs and educational resources to help administrators and users effectively utilize the Privilege Manager software. These training sessions can be conducted on-site or online and may come at an additional cost.
Additional Licensing Costs
User and Key Licenses: The cost of the software can also depend on the number of administrators and keys managed. For instance, ManageEngine PAM360 has different pricing tiers based on the number of administrators and keys, with higher costs for more extensive usage.
High Availability Setup: If an organization requires a high availability setup, some vendors may allow the use of the same license for both primary and secondary servers without additional charges. However, this can vary by vendor and specific licensing agreements.
Customization and Integration Costs
Custom Development: If the organization requires specific customizations or integrations with other systems (e.g., identity management, SIEM solutions), there may be additional development costs. These customizations ensure that the software aligns with the unique workflows and security policies of the organization.
Training Options
1.Instructor-Led Training (ILT) and Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT)
Micro Focus Privileged Account Manager: Offers a three-day instructor-led course that covers the basic concepts, installation, configuration, and testing of the Privileged Account Manager. This course includes hands-on labs to provide practical experience.
BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access Administration: Provides modular, on-demand training that includes eLearning and instructor-led workshops. These sessions cover deployment, configuration, and best practices for administering Privileged Remote Access. Participants can also earn Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits and take certification exams upon completion.
2.On-Demand eLearning
BeyondTrust: Offers on-demand eLearning modules that provide foundational knowledge for administering and configuring the software. These modules are regularly updated to reflect new software versions and features.
3.Workshops and Live Sessions
BeyondTrust: Conducts live workshops that allow participants to engage with specialized instructors, ask questions, and receive real-time feedback. These workshops are designed to enhance understanding and provide practical insights into the software's features and best practices.
4.Documentation and Guides
Quest Privilege Manager for Windows: Provides comprehensive documentation, including a Quick Start Guide and an Administrator Guide. These resources offer step-by-step instructions for installation, configuration, and maintenance of the software. The guides also cover advanced topics such as configuring reporting, discovery, and remediation settings.
One Identity Privilege Manager for Unix: Offers support documentation for installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance, ensuring users have access to detailed information for managing the software.
Support Options
1.Technical Support
Quest Privilege Manager for Windows: Offers technical support resources, including access to a support portal where users can find additional documentation, submit support tickets, and contact support representatives for assistance.
One Identity: Provides support information for troubleshooting and maintaining the software, ensuring users can resolve issues and optimize their use of the product.
2.Community and Online Resources
Delinea Privilege Manager: Encourages users to download datasheets and view feature lists for more information. Additionally, users can access a free eBook titled "Least Privilege Cybersecurity for Dummies" to help jump-start their least privilege strategy.
3.Certification Programs
BeyondTrust: Offers certification exams for participants who complete the Privileged Remote Access subscription training. This certification validates the user's knowledge and skills in administering the software.
4.Continuous Updates and New Courses
BeyondTrust: Regularly adds new courses and updates existing materials to ensure users stay informed about the latest features and best practices. This continuous learning approach helps users maximize the value of the software.
5.Self-Service Tools
1.Least Privilege Enforcement
Principle of Least Privilege (POLP): Privilege Manager enforces the principle of least privilege, ensuring that users have only the minimum level of access necessary to perform their tasks. This reduces the attack surface and limits the potential damage from compromised accounts.
2.Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Enhanced Access Control: Multi-factor authentication is used to strengthen access control by requiring additional verification steps beyond just a password. This helps prevent unauthorized access even if credentials are compromised.
3.Privileged Session Management
Session Recording and Monitoring: Privilege Manager includes features for recording and monitoring privileged sessions. This allows organizations to track user activities, ensuring that actions are appropriate and compliant with security policies. It also provides an audit trail for forensic analysis in case of security incidents.
4.Automated Password Management
Password Rotation and Vaulting: The software automates the rotation of privileged account passwords and stores them in a secure vault. This reduces the risk of password theft and ensures that passwords are regularly updated to meet security standards.
5.Application Control
Policy-Based Application Management: Privilege Manager allows administrators to define policies that control which applications can be elevated, allowed, denied, or sandboxed. This helps prevent the execution of unauthorized or malicious applications.
6.Real-Time Threat Detection and Alerts
Behavioral Analytics and Alerts: The software integrates with privileged behavior analytics to detect and respond to suspicious activities in real-time. Custom alerts can be set up to notify security teams of potential security incidents, enabling swift action to mitigate risks.
7.Centralized Audit Logging
Comprehensive Logging and Reporting: Privilege Manager provides centralized audit logging, capturing detailed records of all privileged activities. This includes who accessed what, when, and why, helping organizations maintain compliance and quickly identify any anomalies.
8.Just-In-Time and Just-Enough Access
Temporary Privilege Elevation: The software supports just-in-time access, granting temporary elevated privileges only when needed and for the duration required. This minimizes the risk associated with perpetual privileged access.
9.Secure Remote Access
Encrypted Gateways: For remote access, Privilege Manager uses encrypted gateways to ensure secure connections. This prevents unauthorized access and protects data transmitted over the network.
10.Backup and Recovery
Automatic Backups: The software includes automatic backup features to ensure that data is not lost in case of a security breach or system failure. This helps maintain data integrity and availability.
11.Integration with SIEM Solutions
Enhanced Security Monitoring: Privilege Manager can integrate with Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions to provide enhanced security monitoring and incident response capabilities. This integration helps correlate privileged access activities with other security events for a comprehensive security posture.
12.Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Granular Access Control: The software supports role-based access control, allowing administrators to define roles with specific permissions. This ensures that users have access only to the resources they need based on their job functions.
13.Endpoint Protection
Update Frequency
Privilege Manager software releases updates on a regular schedule to ensure the software remains secure, stable, and up-to-date with the latest features and improvements. Based on the provided release notes from Delinea.
Regular Release Schedule:
Cloud Release: Privilege Manager Cloud updates are scheduled periodically. For example, the 12.0.0 release was scheduled for Saturday, March 30, 2024.
On-Premise Release: Updates for the on-premise version of Privilege Manager are also scheduled regularly. The 12.0.0 on-premise release was set for Friday, April 12, 2024.
Support for Previous Versions:
Delinea supports the use of software versions up to a year prior to the current version. This means that users can continue to use older versions for up to a year before needing to upgrade to maintain support and compatibility.
Update Management
The management of updates for Privilege Manager software involves several key practices to ensure a smooth and reliable update process:
System Restore Points:
As a best practice, Delinea recommends creating system restore points prior to making system changes such as patches. This helps ensure that any issues arising from updates can be quickly reverted, minimizing downtime and disruption.
Stability and Reliability Improvements:
Updates often include improvements in stability and reliability. For instance, the 12.0.0 release introduced key improvements in the scheduling of agent jobs to enhance overall system performance and reliability.
Policy and Feature Updates:
New policies and features are introduced with updates to improve functionality and security. For example, the "Task Scheduler - Ensure Randomness" policy was integrated to enhance the efficiency of task execution by ensuring adherence to predefined random delays.
Operating System Support:
Privilege Manager follows a policy of supporting operating systems that are actively maintained and have not reached their official end of support. This ensures compatibility with the latest security updates and features provided by the OS vendors. For example, the 12.0.0 release was the last version to support macOS 10.15 Catalina, encouraging users to upgrade to supported versions of macOS.
Bug Fixes and Performance Enhancements:
Each update includes bug fixes and performance enhancements to address known issues and improve the user experience. The 12.0.0 release, for instance, fixed issues related to exporting and importing hash-based filters, improved the performance of application approval reports, and resolved problems with user and group imports.
Communication and Documentation:
Data Ownership
Privilege Manager software, like many enterprise solutions, adheres to clear policies regarding data ownership. Here are the key points:
Customer Data Ownership:
Ownership and Custodianship: The data generated and managed by Privilege Manager software is owned by the customer. The software provider acts as a custodian of this data, ensuring its security and integrity while it is being processed and stored.
Data Controller and Processor Roles: In the context of data protection regulations such as GDPR, the customer is typically the data controller, while the software provider (e.g., Delinea) acts as the data processor. This means that the customer has control over the data and the software provider processes it on their behalf.
Data Protection and Compliance:
Compliance with Regulations: Privilege Manager software ensures compliance with various data protection regulations, including GDPR, which mandates clear definitions of data ownership and responsibilities. This includes adhering to principles such as data minimization, purpose limitation, and ensuring data security.
Data Portability
Data portability is a critical aspect of modern data management, allowing users to transfer their data between different systems or service providers. Privilege Manager software supports data portability through several mechanisms:
Right to Data Portability:
GDPR Compliance: Under GDPR, users have the right to request their personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format. Privilege Manager software complies with this requirement, enabling users to export their data as needed.
Structured Data Formats: The software provides data in formats that facilitate easy transfer and integration with other systems, ensuring that users can move their data without significant technical barriers.
Data Export Tools:
Export Functionality: Privilege Manager software includes tools that allow users to export their data. This can be done through downloadable files, specific export tools, or direct transfers to new platforms, depending on the user's needs and the capabilities of the software.
Encryption and Security: When data is exported, it is often encrypted to ensure that it remains secure during transfer. This helps protect the data from unauthorized access and ensures compliance with data protection standards.
Data Portability in Practice:
Customer Requests: Customers can request the export of their data, and the software provider will facilitate this process in accordance with their data processing agreements. This ensures that customers retain control over their data and can move it as required.
Not available
Renewal Terms
Subscription License Renewal:
Duration: The subscription license is valid for the intended duration specified in the agreement.
Renewal Process: To continue using the software beyond the subscribed duration, the license must be renewed at least 10 days before the expiry of the term.
Included Services: As part of the subscription license, updates, upgrades, email support for problem reporting, and online access to product documentation are provided at no additional cost during the subscription period.
Cancellation Terms
Non-Renewal:
Action Required: If the subscription is not renewed, the user must stop using the software and remove it from their systems upon expiration.
1.ISO 27001
Privilege Manager helps organizations comply with ISO 27001 by implementing controls for managing privileged access, monitoring privileged activities, and ensuring secure handling of sensitive data. Specific sections of ISO 27001, such as A.9.2.3 (Management of Privilege Access Rights) and A.9.2.4 (Use of Privileged Utility Programs), are directly addressed by Privilege Manager solutions.
2.PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard)
Privilege Manager supports PCI DSS compliance by enforcing least privilege access, securing privileged accounts, and providing detailed audit logs of privileged activities. This helps organizations protect cardholder data and meet PCI DSS requirements for access control and monitoring.
3.HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
Privilege Manager helps healthcare organizations comply with HIPAA by securing access to systems that store or process PHI, enforcing strong authentication mechanisms, and providing audit trails for all privileged access activities.
4.GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
Privilege Manager aids in GDPR compliance by ensuring that access to personal data is restricted to authorized personnel only, providing detailed logs of access activities, and supporting data protection measures such as encryption and secure access controls.
5.SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act)
Privilege Manager supports SOX compliance by providing mechanisms to control and monitor access to financial systems, ensuring that only authorized users can access sensitive financial data, and maintaining detailed audit logs for compliance reporting.
6.NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology)
Privilege Manager aligns with NIST guidelines by implementing strong access controls, monitoring privileged access, and providing detailed audit trails to support incident response and risk management.
7.CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification)
Privilege Manager helps organizations achieve CMMC compliance by managing privileged accounts, enforcing least privilege, and providing comprehensive auditing and reporting capabilities.
8.Other Compliance Standards
NYCRR (New York Codes, Rules, and Regulations): Privilege Manager helps financial institutions comply with NYCRR by securing privileged access to sensitive financial data and systems.
FISMA (Federal Information Security Management Act): Privilege Manager supports FISMA compliance by implementing strong access controls and monitoring mechanisms for federal agencies and contractors.
