To defend against the onslaught of the ever-growing risk of cybersecurity threats and challenges, many organizations utilize a Privileged Access Management (PAM) solution, such as CyberArk Privilege Cloud. This comprehensive solution comes out-of-the-box with a feature-rich suite of tools designed to secure and manage privileged access across all enterprise environments. It supports all necessary core PAM functionality, including store and rotate passwords, securely connect users to enterprise endpoints, and allow applications to dynamically retrieve their credentials.
However, before implementation, it is crucial to evaluate whether it is the right fit for an enterprise’s specific needs and requirements. In this article, we will explore what CyberArk Privilege Cloud is and the key factors to consider when deciding if it is the right PAM solution for your organization.
What is CyberArk Privilege Cloud?
CyberArk Privilege Cloud is a Privileged Access Management (PAM) solution that helps organizations secure and manage privileged access across their entire IT environment. As a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offering, it is designed to reduce the complexity and overhead of running a full-scale PAM solution on your own infrastructure.
It streamlines your operations by decreasing the number of components and configurations owned by your CyberArk Operations team. The intricate tasks such as managing the Vault – considered the most sensitive server to configure – web servers, the network, and tasks like OS patching and application upgrades are automatically handled by experienced CyberArk professionals.
At the same time, the CyberArk components that handle direct connections to your resources remain in your environment to ensure minimal latency and enable critical services – e.g., applications that retrieve passwords even in the event of an internet outage.
Is CyberArk Privilege Cloud the Perfect Fit?
While the advantages are numerous, understanding potential limitations is essential for organizations to making an informed decision:
Certain administrative and report generation tasks under CyberArk Privilege Cloud are now handled by the CyberArk team through a ticket-based system. As with most SaaS services, there might be some latency between task initiation and completion, though minor tasks are resolved promptly.
Also, certain aspects of CyberArk Privilege Cloud may require adjustments. For instance, although the email notification system remains intact, there are fewer customization options available. Similarly, while viewing and downloading PSM recording files remain accessible, there are limitations regarding location options for these recordings. Furthermore, direct control over your Master Account will transition to CyberArk’s management. All these adjustments aim to streamline processes and enhance security, but it’s crucial to understand these changes when considering CyberArk Privilege Cloud.
Despite these limitations, CyberArk Privilege Cloud remains an excellent PAM solution that unlocks many of the benefits of SaaS, enabling organizations to reduce costs and minimize administrative overhead without compromising the quality of security protection.
Planning Your Journey with CyberArk Privilege Cloud
Getting started can be easy, but still requires careful planning, coordination, and asking the right questions, as it is difficult to “know what you don’t know.”
Whether starting fresh with your first CyberArk implementation or migrating from on-premises; one of the first questions to ask, “is this a time to mature or just implement?”. A migration or new implementation can present an excellent opportunity to review and standardize existing processes, naming conventions, policies, and more.
Considering time is always a factor, having an experienced PAM services partner working hand-in-hand with your team allows for quick changes, vital adjustments, and confirmation of best practices to save time and avoid costly rework later. Similar to how correcting course on a ship takes more time and effort than setting sail to the correct destination from the beginning.
Driving Success with CyberArk and iC Consult
At iC Consult, our team of experts has extensive experience implementing CyberArk Privilege Cloud. Our services range from initial setup and process optimization to ongoing support, ensuring that you maximize the benefits of your CyberArk investment while mitigating potential drawbacks.
iC Consult offers “Teach-to-fish” engagements so that the work gets done quickly and according to industry best practices by certified experts and your team gets personalized training on the future state processes and custom documentation fit to your environment.
Ready to embark on your PAM journey with CyberArk Privilege Cloud? Contact us today!