Challenges
Even the most seasoned security professional will admit that protecting privileged accounts and potential risk is a complex and daunting challenge. But keeping these vulnerable accounts safe is critical to any Identity Hygiene program and the success of an organization.
What key risks are organizations exposed to?
Emerging Threats and Increased Risk
Cybertheft and ransomware attacks are on the rise, particularly for large organizations in regulated industries. Until they are evaluated and protected, privileged accounts remain vulnerable to bad actors and insider threats. Since privileged accounts provide ready access to core infrastructure and systems that hold sensitive data, they pose a significant security risk. The potential outcomes of a breach? Reputational damage, business interruption, and revenue loss.
Potential for Business Disruption
Even when privileged access and Active Directory governance are handled carefully, well-intentioned changes can lead to inadvertent outages and loss of productivity or revenue. Without a complete understanding of an organization’s complex web of privileges, changes in account and group structures can shut down mission-critical processes, causing costly outages and data loss.
Compliance Issues
Regulated organizations must provide exceptional security that withstands scrutiny from internal auditors and external regulators. After all, punitive regulatory actions can stop business as usual in its tracks. Ongoing security efforts—including risk identification, remediation, and preventative controls—must demonstrate that stringent policies are in place and are being followed.
A Daunting Problem
Despite the importance of protecting privileged accounts, these goals can be complicated to execute and difficult to achieve, leaving critical accounts unprotected.
