What is PAM (Privileged Access Management)?
PAM (Privileged Access Management) is a security strategy and technology for managing, restricting and monitoring access to accounts with elevated privileges. These are accounts that can change system or network configurations, install software or manipulate industrial processes.
In OT environments, PAM is crucial for protecting SCADA, PLCs, Engineering Stations and other systems against misuse or sabotage.
🧠 Why is PAM important?
| Problem without PAM | Risk |
|---|---|
| Sharing admin passwords | No accountability or traceability |
| Direct access via RDP or VPN | Completely invisible and uncontrolled administration |
| No logging of administrative actions | Inability to forensically analyse incidents |
| Shadow admins | Unknown accounts with full control |
PAM is a core component of Zero Trust and Defense in Depth.
🔐 What does PAM do?
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Credential Vaulting | Stores and encrypts administrator passwords |
| Session Recording | Records administrative actions on systems (video or command logging) |
| Just-in-Time Access | Grants temporary access to systems or accounts |
| Approval Workflows | Administrative access must be approved first (four-eyes principle) |
| Privileged Session Management (PSM) | Shielded access via a controlled connection (e.g. RDP via PAM server) |
| Audit and Monitoring | Detailed logging of who did what and when |
🏭 PAM in OT environments
| Use case | Example |
|---|---|
| Maintenance on a PLC | An external engineer is given PAM-controlled access to the programming environment |
| Jump Server between IT/OT | All OT access goes through a controlled PAM portal |
| Remote Access | PAM integrates with VPN for just-in-time access to critical components |
| SCADA administration | Configuration access only granted via temporary escalation |
✅ Best practices
- Use PAM together with MFA/2FA for stronger authentication
- Connect PAM to Active Directory or IAM for centralised user identity
- Apply Least Privilege: grant only the access that is strictly necessary
- Implement Session Recording for access to a Safety PLC, Historian or firewalls
- Automate the rotation of administrator passwords and key management
🔧 Well-known PAM solutions
| Vendor | Characteristic |
|---|---|
| CyberArk | Full PAM suite for IT and OT |
| BeyondTrust | Strong integrations with Windows/Linux |
| WALLIX | Specifically aimed at industrial networks |
| Delinea (formerly Thycotic) | User-friendly and highly scalable |
| HashiCorp Vault | Open-source secrets management (more DevOps-oriented) |
📌 In summary
PAM is essential to prevent abuse of administrative privileges and to secure administrative access to OT systems. It provides control, visibility and traceability in critical infrastructure.