As a former federal CISO, I’ve observed a persistent and dangerous misconception within government agencies: the belief that smart card authentication eliminates the need for enterprise password and Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions. This assumption creates critical security vulnerabilities that deserve closer examination.

Service accounts are nonhuman privileged accounts used by systems or applications to perform certain tasks, access resources or run processes. These accounts are typically given only the permissions they need for a specific job. According to ReliaQuest, 85% of data breaches between January 2024 and July 2024 that organizations responded to involved compromised service accounts. To prevent the misuse of credentials, organizations should secure their service accounts.

When organizations adopt remote work, they face increased cybersecurity risks. Privileged Access Management (PAM) helps mitigate these risks by reducing the attack surface, minimizing insider threats, and providing enhanced visibility and monitoring capabilities. Continue reading to learn the cybersecurity risks unique to remote work environments and how PAM helps address them.

As cyber attacks grow in sophistication, traditional security models become more vulnerable, prompting many organizations to adopt zero-trust security. The main difference between traditional and zero-trust security models is how they approach access control. Traditional security models assume trust for users inside their networks, whereas zero-trust security verifies every user and device by default, requiring continuous authentication.

IT controls refer to the frameworks and processes organizations use to manage their information systems securely and effectively. They support business operations by helping reduce cyber risks, ensure regulatory compliance and improve operational efficiency. Continue reading to learn more about the importance of IT controls, steps for implementation and how a PAM solution can enhance their effectiveness.

An audit trail, also known as an audit log, records actions and operations within an organization’s system in great chronological detail. Audit trails can be used in various ways; specifically, in cybersecurity, they identify security violations by detecting who accessed data, what changes were made and when an action occurred.

Some common cyber threats facing the retail industry include ransomware attacks, social engineering, system intrusions and insider threats. The retail sector is often targeted by cybercriminals because of the valuable customer data it processes, including credit card information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and shopping patterns. This data is often collected and sold on the dark web for financial fraud or identity theft.

In 2024, the public sector faced a number of data breaches, highlighting the vulnerability of government agencies and public institutions in the face of evolving cyber threats. From leaked sensitive data to ransomware attacks targeting critical infrastructure, these incidents exposed significant gaps in cybersecurity measures. As cybercriminals grow more sophisticated, the stakes for protecting personal and national data have never been higher.

Application Programming Interface (API) vulnerabilities are security weaknesses in an API’s code that cybercriminals can exploit. These vulnerabilities can lead to data breaches and unauthorized system access. Common API vulnerabilities include inadequate authentication and authorization, excessive data exposure and insufficient data encryption. Continue reading to learn about the common risks associated with APIs, along with practical methods and solutions to prevent these vulnerabilities.

Your organization can achieve zero-standing privilege by following best practices such as enforcing least privilege access, implementing Just-in-Time (JIT) access and continuously monitoring and auditing privileged access. Following these best practices ensures that privileged access is granted only when necessary, and for the shortest duration possible, significantly reducing your organization’s attack surface and enhancing overall security.