As IT environments become increasingly distributed and organizations embrace hybrid and remote work at scale, traditional perimeter-based security models and on-premises privileged access management (PAM) solutions are no longer sufficient. IT administrators, contractors, and third-party vendors now require secure access to critical systems from any location and any device without compromising compliance or increasing security risks. To keep up with modern demands, many organizations are turning to remote privileged access management (RPAM) as a cloud-based approach to securing privileged access that extends protection beyond on-premises environments to where privileged users connect.
Keep reading to learn more about RPAM, how it differs from traditional PAM, and why its adoption is increasing across all industries.
What is RPAM?
Remote Privileged Access Management (RPAM) allows organizations to securely monitor and manage privileged access for remote and third-party users. Unlike traditional PAM solutions, RPAM extends fine-grained access control beyond enterprise boundaries, allowing administrators, contractors, and vendors to securely connect from anywhere.
RPAM enforces least privilege access, validates user identity, and monitors all privileged sessions without exposing credentials or relying on virtual private networks (VPNs). Each privileged session is logged in detail, giving security teams complete visibility into who accessed what and when.
How is PAM different from RPAM?
PAM and RPAM both help organizations secure privileged access, but they were built for different operational environments. Traditional PAM solutions are designed to monitor and manage privileged accounts within an organization’s internal network. Traditional PAM solutions are designed for on-premises environments, making them difficult to accommodate today’s distributed, cloud-based infrastructures.
RPAM, on the other hand, extends PAM functionality to modern hybrid and remote environments, providing secure privileged access regardless of user location. In contrast to traditional PAM solutions, RPAM provides secure remote access without the need for VPN or agent-based deployment, increasing scalability and reducing attack surface. By supporting Zero Trust principles and cloud-native architecture, RPAM gives organizations the control and flexibility they need to protect privileged accounts across modern environments.
Reasons why RPAM adoption is accelerating
As technology advances rapidly, organizations must accelerate their adoption of RPAM to meet the growing need for secure and flexible remote access. The key reasons why RPAM adoption is accelerating so rapidly are:
Remote work requires strong access controls
As hybrid and remote work steadily increases, organizations are faced with access challenges beyond the corporate network. As employees, contractors, and vendors require privileged access to critical systems from various locations and devices, organizations need RPAM to provide policy-based, just-in-time (JIT) access to eliminate persistent privileges across distributed environments. RPAM ensures that all connections, whether from internal IT administrators or external vendors, are authorized and monitored to maintain security and transparency.
Cybercriminals target vulnerable remote access points
Traditional remote access methods such as VPN and Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) sessions are commonly targeted attack vectors. Once cybercriminals gain access to stolen credentials or remote systems, they can deploy ransomware, steal data, or move laterally within an organization’s network. RPAM mitigates these risks by enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA), logging privileged sessions, and supporting Zero Trust security. RPAM eliminates the use of shared credentials and ensures that only continuously verified users have access to sensitive data.
Compliance requirements drive automation
Organizations must comply with various regulatory frameworks such as ISO 27001 and HIPAA that require complete visibility into privileged activities. RPAM improves security and compliance by automating session logging and recording detailed audit trails. RPAM not only streamlines auditing, but also provides organizations with valuable insight into privileged activity, helping ensure compliance requirements are met.
The future of privileged access management
As enterprises modernize with remote work and cloud environments, traditional PAM solutions must evolve to meet the demands of remote access. The future of PAM lies in RPAM solutions that provide secure cloud-native control over privileged access across distributed networks. RPAM capabilities such as AI threat detection with agents can help organizations identify suspicious activity and proactively prevent potential data breaches before they occur. Modern organizations must move to solutions that provide a zero trust architecture that ensures each access request is authenticated and continuously verified. KeeperPAM® provides a scalable, cloud-native RPAM solution that enables enterprises to secure privileged access and maintain compliance no matter where users are located.
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