It pains us to say it: many organizations see Privileged Access Management solutions as too complex (and, looking at tools from some established vendors, that is not entirely unfair). That perception has a direct impact on adoption. According to a KPMG study, only one in four companies relies on PAM—leaving themselves exposed to one of the biggest risks facing IT systems: unprotected privileged users due to insufficient access controls. And with the rise of remote work and the outsourcing of IT tasks to service providers, the risks only continue to grow.

For some people, yet another acronym in the cybersecurity jungle is enough to trigger a weary sigh. But without solid Privileged Access Management, companies are effectively opening the door to cybercriminals. Attackers are more than happy when sensitive systems are protected only by weak access controls and when shared passwords or shared accounts are still in use.

That is why organizations need a PAM solution that manages, monitors, and secures privileged accounts—whether for internal administrators, DevOps teams, or external service providers. Privileged accounts have direct access to critical systems and sensitive information, which makes them a prime target for attackers. Without PAM, this access is often inadequately controlled, passwords are shared across departments, or stored in insecure documents. But even secure internal access is only part of the story. Companies also need to ask themselves a second question: what about remote access—for example, by external service providers?

A closer look at PAM

Privileged Access Management is part of a broader Identity and Access Management framework. While Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) tools cover user lifecycle management, digital identities, roles, and accounts, multi-factor authentication combined with single sign-on (SSO) helps secure access to applications in a user-friendly way.

PAM, by contrast, focuses specifically on securing privileged accounts, controlling their access to target systems, and defining exactly who from the admin team may access which system, and when—among many other things.

• Automated discovery of privileged accounts: Newly added applications and systems are detected, and their privileged accounts are identified as subject to control.

• Centralized management of privileged accounts: Clear assignment of which people can access which accounts.

• Session management and monitoring: Every access event is recorded and can be traced if suspicious activity arises.

• Automated access controls: Privileges are granted temporarily and revoked after use, eliminating the “always-on” problem.

• Password vaulting and rotation: Privileged credentials are stored securely and changed regularly to minimize the risk of compromised accounts.

At a time when remote work and hybrid IT environments have become standard, more and more users need administrative access to critical systems from outside the company network. This includes internal admins working from home, external service providers, and cloud teams. And this is exactly where dangerous new security gaps begin to appear.

Many companies try to address this problem with VPNs or simple remote access tools such as TeamViewer. But auditors and regulators no longer consider that the “state of the art.” The granularity of defining who may do what, when, along with central logging of those activities, is no longer sufficient. Not to mention the lack of support for modern authentication methods such as passkeys or FIDO2-compliant MFA tokens.

The problem with legacy VPNs and simple internet proxy-based solutions is straightforward: they were simply not designed for today’s requirements under KRITIS, DORA, and NIS2, nor for the large number of finely segmented target systems that now need to be protected. In many cases, anyone logging in via VPN gains access to the entire internal network—and therefore to far more systems than they actually need. If a user’s credentials are compromised, the attacker has a free pass.

The situation becomes especially dangerous when employees or external service providers use VPNs on private or otherwise insecure devices. Basic security protections are often missing, updates are neglected, and malware may already be running in the background. A single compromised laptop can put an entire IT infrastructure at risk—up to and including infiltration and destruction.

Privileged Remote Access, or PRA, is the logical next step for securing external access in line with today’s standards—complementing internal PAM. Together, they form a true dream team. PRA replaces traditional VPNs with controlled, context-aware access based on Zero Trust principles. Instead of opening up an entire network, it enables granular access to exactly the systems a person needs for a specific task—no more, no less.

• Every access request is evaluated individually, based on the device, location, and usage context. Only authorized users are granted access to applications or specific systems.

• No permission needs to remain permanently active. Every access right can be time-limited and deactivated automatically after a defined period.

• For every type of access and every target system or asset group, the appropriate form of multi-factor authentication can be defined—another adjustable security mechanism within PRA.

• Every session is monitored and analyzed in detail. Suspicious activity is detected and blocked in real time. Logs are forwarded to the local SIEM or log management system.

There is also a clear compliance benefit. Whether the requirement comes from GDPR, ISO 27001, or NIS2, secure access management is no longer just a recommendation—it is a regulatory requirement. With PRA, all access data is logged, allowing companies to prove at any time who accessed which systems, and when. No last-minute cleanup before an audit is necessary. Compliance requirements are addressed from the outset.

In addition to internal remote users, companies also need to integrate external service providers, partners, or agencies securely into their IT environments. These external parties often require access to sensitive systems—for maintenance, IT support, or operational tasks. But without secure management of that access, the risks are significant. Permanent VPN or admin access for external partners creates an open doorway for threats. At the same time, there is often no complete audit trail showing who made which changes. Many companies also grant external vendors permissions that extend far beyond what their actual role requires.

With Privileged Remote Access, organizations can make external vendor access controlled, limited, and traceable:

• Just-in-time permissions ensure that external users receive access only when it is genuinely needed. Once the work is complete, access can be revoked immediately.

• Two-factor authentication (2FA) ensures that only legitimate users can log in—just as it does for internal users.

• All vendor actions are documented in an audit trail, allowing companies to track system changes at any time.

By integrating PRA into their security strategy, companies ensure that both internal and external privileged access is protected end to end—leaving no easy attack surface for cybercriminals.

The equation is simple: companies that continue to rely on outdated VPN structures are easy prey for attackers. Those that use PAM and PRA to monitor privileged access in a targeted way can achieve the highest possible level of security for their organization. This helps avoid unnecessary risks and lays the foundation for a modern, future-ready IT security strategy.