<p>Organizations are leaning into zero trust, a framework that assumes no entity can access a specific asset until they have been verified, validated and authorized. This approach makes privileged identity management, or <i><a href=”https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/privileged-identity-management-PIM”>PIM</a></i>, an increasingly important resource.</p>
<p>PIM supplants permanent access rights with provisional, sanctioned and audited access. This granular control gives the user or device access to precisely what they need to complete a task — no more, no less.</p>
<p>This is important because credential theft or misuse was the root cause in 32% of breaches, according to IBM’s “X-Force Threat Intelligence Index 2026.” Threat actors rely on penetrating a system and then traversing multiple attack vectors to exploit vulnerabilities on other systems. This lateral movement was found in 87% of all breaches, Palo Alto Networks reported in its “Global Incidents Response Report 2026.” Lateral movement attacks use stolen credentials and administrative tools, such as remote desktop protocol and PowerShell, to find network passwords and execute commands.</p>
<p>Security teams can counter this threat with PIM, putting precise, temporary privileged access controls in place. PIM, which comprises policy, workflow, enforcement and logging, uses processes and tools to administer, protect and examine accounts and permissions, including domain admins, cloud subscription owners and root access. It ensures users and devices attempting to access a system gain entry only to exactly what they need and are denied permanent privileges.</p>
<section class=”section main-article-chapter” data-menu-title=”How privileged identity management works”>
<h2 class=”section-title”><i class=”icon” data-icon=”1″></i>How privileged identity management works</h2>
<p>PIM tools start by discovering privileged users, roles, groups, API keys, service accounts and SSH keys. Tools also locate where those things are stored, such as in Active Directory, databases and cloud environments. The tools then identify effective privilege, the sum of which assets an entity needs access to function in its role. This extends to nested groups.</p>
<p>To establish governance, PIM manages administrative roles. End users are not given specific rights. Instead, they are deemed eligible for future access when necessary. Privileged access is time-bound and temporary. When users need to perform a privileged task, they log into the PIM console and ask to initiate their role.</p>
<p>Access permissions are granted according to policy tied to requirements. These could include device compliance, manager approval, network location, risk signals and MFA. Access expires automatically.</p>
<p>For audit purposes, PIM tools log all events from the time of the initial request through the time of expiration. PIM applies controlled techniques to maintain secure access paths, including privileged access workstations, secure portals and bastions. To protect privileged information, PIM moves passwords and keys and stores confidential data, access policies and audit trails in a hardened vault.</p>
</section>
<section class=”section main-article-chapter” data-menu-title=”PIM benefits and challenges”>
<h2 class=”section-title”><i class=”icon” data-icon=”1″></i>PIM benefits and challenges</h2>
<p>PIM boosts an organization’s security in several ways. By limiting access, PIM reduces the likelihood that credentials can be stolen. It also <a href=”https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/tip/How-to-prevent-and-detect-lateral-movement-attacks”>prevents lateral movement</a> and escalation by securing pathways and reducing the time a malicious hacker has inside a breached system. PIM also establishes strong security controls for the actions the organization deems most critical.</p>
<p>PIM limits privilege sprawl by preventing users from gaining and keeping excessive rights. Logging capabilities support auditing and compliance efforts. Through vaulting and rotation, PIM protects shared and legacy admin accounts.</p>
<p>Like most security controls, however, PIM creates friction for administrators responsible for approvals, timeouts and other steps that can impede operations. Adopting PIM can be complex and expensive, particularly in hybrid environments. There is also a risk of under-securing certain pathways, leading to overconfidence.</p>
<p>While PIM is useful, it is only one facet of a strong defense. A multilayered security infrastructure also incorporates endpoint security, segmentation and <a href=”https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/threat-detection-and-response-TDR”>threat detection and response&
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