Stolen identity and privileged access credentials account for 61% of all data breaches. And that number is growing year over year. Cybercrime groups, bad actors, and rogue insiders are now leveraging AI, making attacks faster, more targeted, and increasingly difficult for traditional defenses to detect and contain. With industry analysts like Forrester reporting that 80% of breach attempts involve privileged credentials, it’s clear that controlling and monitoring privileged access remains one of the most urgent priorities in cybersecurity. 

Why Invest in a PAM Solution? 

Companies need more than password management and a vault for privileged credentials. While storing secrets securely is an important part of a PAM solution, today’s attackers are targeting the very systems and processes that authenticate users. That means organizations need controls that go beyond safeguarding secrets and actively enforce who can access what, when, and how. 

Privileged Access Management (PAM) delivers this by combining real-time access control, automation, and visibility. Instead of simply protecting accounts and credentials, PAM ensures privileged access is temporary, policy-driven, and fully monitored, making it far harder for attackers—or insiders—to misuse critical accounts. 

12 Questions to Ask a PAM Vendor 

For many businesses, PAM solutions were once out of reach—too expensive, resource-intensive, or complex to deploy effectively. In some cases, organizations have even abandoned their PAM investments because the tools proved too costly or cumbersome to manage on a day-to-day basis. 

That landscape has changed. A new generation of agentless, enterprise-class PAM platforms are designed to be easy to install, simple to manage, and affordable to scale across hybrid environments. 

When evaluating PAM vendors, consider the following questions: 

1. How is the solution deployed? 

Can it run on-premises, in the cloud, or hybrid environments? Does it support Linux and Windows? Look for agentless deployment to simplify operations. Ask about installation time, footprint, and how quickly privileged sessions can be secured. Leading solutions deliver value in days, not months. 

2. Does it enforce Just-in-Time (JIT) access and Zero Standing Privilege (ZSP)? 

Modern PAM must eliminate standing privileges. Credentials should only exist when needed, for as long as needed. 

3. Can it automate credential discovery and rotation? 

Spreadsheets don’t scale. Automated discovery of privileged accounts, coupled with policy-based rotation, is non-negotiable. 

4. How are credentials stored and protected? 

Look for secure vaulting, encryption at rest and in transit, and strict role-based access. Users should never see credentials. 

5. What kind of session monitoring is provided? 

Can the system record privileged sessions with playback indexed by keystrokes, file transfers, and clipboard actions? This level of detail is critical for compliance and forensics. 

6. Can it monitor sessions in real time? 

Beyond recording, advanced PAM should support command filtering, live monitoring, alerts, and the ability to pause or terminate suspicious sessions immediately. 

7. Does it integrate with our existing stack? 

PAM should work seamlessly with MFA, SIEM, ITSM, and identity governance tools. Look for pre-built integrations and open APIs for platforms like AD, Okta, EntraID (Azure AD), AWS, VMware, Google Workspace, and SIEM systems. 

8. Can it broker secure connections without revealing credentials? 

Users should connect via high-trust sessions where passwords or keys are never exposed. 

9. What built-in reporting and compliance features are included? 

Ensure the platform provides compliance-ready reports, immutable audit logs, and governance integrations. Confirm alignment with GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, NIST 800-171, ISO 27001, and other frameworks. 

10. How does the platform help contain lateral movement? 

Look for support for network segmentation or microsegmentation that ties access boundaries directly to identity and context. 

11. Is this a unified platform or a collection of modules? 

Complexity increases risk. Choose a single, unified platform with consistent data models, reporting, and policy engines, rather than piecemeal modules. 

12. What’s the vendor’s roadmap, support model, and pricing? 

A credible vendor should publish updates frequently, patch fast, and offer responsive global support. Ask about the pricing model—are all features included, or do hidden costs and add-ons drive up total cost of ownership? 

Why 12Port PAM? 

12Port Privileged Access Management delivers a unified, agentless Zero Trust platform that enforces JIT access, eliminates standing privileges, automates credential rotation, and records every privileged session. Built for speed, security, and compliance, 12Port makes PAM practical and affordable to deploy across cloud, hybrid, and on-premises environments. 

Try 12Port PAM today or schedule a demo to learn more. 

The post 12 Questions to Ask Before Investing in a PAM Solution appeared first on 12Port.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from 12Port authored by Peter Senescu. Read the original post at: https://www.12port.com/blog/12-questions-to-ask-before-investing-in-a-pam-solution/