Item: CyberArk Privileged Access Management
Rating: 10
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We utilize CyberArk for privileged account management for sensitive and shared accounts across our technology organization. We utilize it for local admin passwords across multiple datacenters as well as any other set of credentials that might be utilized by multiple people. We use it to control, monitor and govern sensitive account usages and to ensure that nobody knows the password as much of the time as is possible.

Pros and Cons

Automatically discover new servers on the network and take control of the local admin password by vaulting it and ensuring nobody knows the password. A different password on every server.
Automatically roll the password in a configurable manner - after each use, after a certain period of time, etc.
Track and govern sensitive account usage by ensuring only properly authorized users can access the vault and obtain the credentials and then monitor usage.

It can be hard to work with the native back end vault which is reduced and hardened OS with minimal operating capabilities.
Reporting could be better.

Return on Investment

CyberArk has enabled us to better secure our privileged account credentials.
CyberArk automatically detects new servers on our network and takes ownership of the local admin password.
CyberArk allows us to better govern, and audit, privileged account usage in our org.
CyberArk can be architected to be fully redundant and disaster-ready.

Alternatives Considered

BeyondTrust Privileged Identity (formerly Lieberman RED) and Microsoft Identity Manager

I've managed to compete for solutions to CyberArk in the past as a Security Program Manager and found that CyberArk is truly the best-of-breed PIM/PAM tool. Cyberark has a fuller set of supported use cases and a more mature overall operating model. Everyone else is playing catch up!

Support Rating

I've been an engineer and architect in the Identity space for many years and CyberArk is the #1 tool I've found to help me secure accounts and credentials. I've architected CyberArk and built the implementation from the ground up twice in previous roles and found it here upon my arrival at my current job. I wouldn't want to have to live without it as it helps me sleep at night!

Key Insights

Do you think CyberArk Privileged Access Management delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with CyberArk Privileged Access Management's feature set?

Yes

Did CyberArk Privileged Access Management live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of CyberArk Privileged Access Management go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy CyberArk Privileged Access Management again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Azure Active Directory, Microsoft Cloud App Security, Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security, Microsoft Exchange

Likelihood to Recommend

I always recommend CyberArk based on my experiences at several different jobs and industries. It does a great job of helping you create all kinds of use cases and approval flows for accessing and using privileged accounts. It also does a great job securing local admin passwords on servers. End-users of the system are able to quickly and easily start utilizing the more secure method of obtaining credentials in minimal time with minimal overhead/tax on their work time.

The best privileged account tool I've found

Overall Satisfaction with CyberArk Privileged Account Security