Privileged Access Management, or PAM for short, serves one core purpose: controlling critical access. In practice, however, that promise often falls short. One of the main reasons is that PAM was developed around twenty years ago. So-called vaulted PAM was designed for the IT world of that time, with a manageable number of privileged users and servers as the central systems. Cloud infrastructures, containers, machine identities, and, increasingly, autonomous AI agents make one thing clear: more than two decades later, access control must meet a whole new set of requirements.
Where are the pain points?
Before companies can drive change, they first need to understand where traditional PAM reaches its limits. Across many organizations, a similar pattern emerges: PAM exists as a security mechanism for protecting sensitive privileged access, but it fails to fulfill its purpose and, in the worst case, even disrupts day-to-day operations. There are four stumbling blocks in particular that organizations repeatedly have to overcome.
Poor user experience – or simply “annoying”
Ask IT experts how they feel about PAM, and enthusiasm is usually limited. Not without reason. PAM solutions are often highly complex. Having to move through multiple systems and security layers takes a clear toll on usability. Frustration spreads across IT and DevOps teams, not least because the administrative overhead of extra authentication steps and approval workflows ties up far too many resources.
Traditional PAM solutions also fail to reflect where the industry is headed. Right now, the trend is moving toward passwordless authentication. Yet password rotation and static credentials remain standard practice. Once employees begin to see the security solution as an obstacle and start looking for ways around it, the risk of unsecured access rises even further.
Cumbersome access – or simply “inefficient”
Working with PAM becomes even more complicated because access paths are often indirect. Administrators usually do not access target systems directly. Instead, they have to go through multiple intermediary layers such as jump hosts, web portals, or proxy systems. Real-world examples from businesses highlight just how convoluted these working environments can become. Linux administrators, for instance, may end up accessing Linux systems through a Windows browser, even though native tools such as SSH already provide much more practical options.
The result is media disruption, along with dependencies on specific tools and platforms. And when you consider dynamic IT environments such as containerized systems or cloud infrastructures, where speed and direct access are essential, the problem becomes even more apparent.
Critical paths – or simply “security-critical”
When central security components become a risk in themselves, it is clear that something has to change. And that is exactly what happens with traditional PAM. Privileged access is routed through the central PAM system, whether via vaults, gateways, or session proxies. This creates a high level of dependency on individual components. At the same time, the security infrastructure itself can become a problem. If a PAM component fails, privileged access to critical systems may no longer be possible.
Ultimately, complex integration does not just make implementation harder. It also complicates ongoing operations. Long implementation times can arise, for example, when PAM has to be integrated into various systems such as directory services, target systems, or databases. And it goes without saying that dependencies and complex architectures also drive up implementation effort.
Reduced ability to act – or simply “blocking”
Fast action is essential, especially during incidents and system outages. But because of the issues outlined above, traditional PAM often makes that much harder. Privileged access is frequently tied to additional security checks. As a result, the actual protective measures are delayed, and the threat remains in place for longer. Administrators cannot access systems immediately, which reduces operational flexibility.
In some cases, it even goes this far: IT and DevOps professionals threaten to quit. “If we introduce PAM, I’m out.” (That is something we have genuinely heard in conversations with customers.)
The new reality of privileged access
Today, companies need to manage identities and access reliably across hybrid IT infrastructures. That often also means dealing with a wide range of specialized solutions. Estimates suggest that more than 1,600 products from over 120 vendors are in use. The operational reality is correspondingly fragmented, with rising risks and growing compliance gaps.
At the same time, the IT landscape continues to evolve. Organizations are increasingly planning for autonomous AI agents, automated platform services, and millions of machine identities, all of which require privileged access to be considered from the outset. As authorization requests grow exponentially, access control must meet new demands in both speed and scalability. What is needed is a more dynamic, more transparent, and more resilient approach aligned with today’s realities. That is why PAM transformation is becoming urgent.
Checklist: What modern Privileged Access Management needs to deliver
So where should companies start? By looking for a modern PAM solution. These nine capabilities are essential if organizations want to remove the stumbling blocks of the past.
1) Continuous access control
Checking access only at login creates risk. Solutions that continue to evaluate access throughout the entire session are far preferable. Every action, whether a database query or an admin command, can then be authorized in context.
2) Policy-based access control
Centralized policies make access governance easier. By incorporating contextual factors such as role, device, location, and time, decisions can be made on the basis of the information that matters most.
3) Just-in-time privilege elevation
Privileged rights should only be granted when they are actually needed. This reduces the risk posed by compromised accounts with standing administrator privileges.
4) Central visibility into privileged activity
All privileged access should be logged in a way that is clear and traceable. Session recording and audit logs provide end-to-end visibility, making them an important building block for security operations and compliance.
5) Visibility into machine identities
Modern infrastructures consist of both human and non-human users. That means service accounts, APIs, applications, and automated workloads also require controlled privileged access.
6) Native integration into cloud and hybrid infrastructures
Whether cloud environments, on-premises systems, container platforms, or databases, modern PAM solutions must be able to manage access consistently across different environments.
7) No exposure of sensitive credentials
There should no longer be any need to hand out passwords or static credentials to administrators. This minimizes the risk of credential leaks.
8) Integration with identity governance
A major usability advantage: privileged access can be integrated into existing identity and access management processes. Entitlements, role models, and recertifications remain consistent.
9) Scalable architecture for dynamic environments
Access control must remain effective even as identity volumes grow rapidly, whether through cloud workloads, CI/CD pipelines, or automated systems.
Our Tool Tip
One platform taking a modern approach to Privileged Access Management is StrongDM. Its guiding principle is clear: continuous authorization instead of one-time authentication.
The platform evaluates several dimensions at once:
• Identity: Who is requesting access?
• Device: What device is being used?
• Context: Where and when is access taking place?
• Action: What exactly is the user trying to do?
This continuous evaluation makes it possible to control privileged access in real time. It closes the gap between authentication and the actual use of systems, increasing security in dynamic IT environments.
Secure – without the friction
Privileged access remains one of the most critical security issues in modern IT landscapes and one of the least popular. But that can change. Modern PAM solutions are making it possible to raise both security and usability to a new level. It is worth taking a closer look at the new possibilities, especially when it comes to integrating evolving IT architectures seamlessly.