Cybersecurity is no longer merely about preventing outside hackers—internal threats are now equally threatening, if not more. Insider threats can come from employees, contractors, or partners who have legitimate access to your systems but decide to use it for nefarious purposes. This is where PAM, or Privileged Access Management, comes in as a critical defense tactic. But can PAM actually identify insider threats before it’s too late?
Let’s discuss how it works, what to look out for, and why your organisation may require it sooner rather than later.
What Constitutes an Insider Threat?
An insider threat is any individual in your organisation with access to internal data and systems and who exploits that access in an unauthorised or harmful manner. The threat may be:
- A bitter worker seeking to disrupt systems
- A good-natured employee unwittingly exposing sensitive information
- A contractor with abused privileged credentials
- An individual being manipulated by outside forces
Insider attacks are hard to detect since they tend to do their work inside normal behaviour profiles—at least nominally.
Why Are Insider Threats So Difficult to Capture?
Conventional security systems centre on perimeter security—stopping intrusions, viruses, and unauthorized logins. But where the individual is already in with access, those techniques are short. Insider attacks fit into day-to-day activities, making discovery very challenging to do early on.
Without proper monitoring equipment, organisations do not necessarily register suspicious activity until a great amount of harm is already underway. That’s where advanced access control comes into play.
The Contribution of PAM to Threat Identification
PAM, Privileged Access Management, provides a technical method for observing users who enjoy elevated privileges. Such users may be IT admins, developers, database managers, and similar others with system permission.
Rather than granting access alone, PAM solutions track and account for how access is utilized. This encompasses:
- Monitoring login and logout times
- Logging sessions
- Marking unusual patterns of access
- Limiting time- or context-based access
- Demanding secondary approval for sensitive operations
In this manner, PAM leaves a complete audit trail which can reveal malicious activity well in advance of an attack becoming major.
Real-Time Alerts and Behaviour Analysis
Most PAM solutions are equipped with behavioural analytics engines. They learn what typical access will look like for every user and alert to deviations. For instance:
- User accessing systems they don’t usually
- Logins outside of regular hours
- Large amounts of data being accessed or downloaded
- Privilege escalations not approved
This type of real-time monitoring enables teams to detect strange patterns which might be a sign that an insider is going rogue—or whose account has been hacked.
Session Recording: An Effective Deterrent
One of the most beneficial functions of PAM is session recording. If users are aware their activity is monitored and recorded on privileged sessions, it becomes an effective deterrent. They are less likely to abuse access if they know they’re being monitored.
But this aspect isn’t so much about prevention—it’s also about post-incident analysis. In case of a breach, having recorded video of what was done, when, and by whom is gold dust to react accordingly and not let it occur again.
Just-in-Time Access Minimizes Long-Term Risk
Instead of granting users permanent access to sensitive systems, PAM provides temporary access that automatically expires after the task has been accomplished. This is referred to as just-in-time access.
By restricting the scope and time of privileged access, organisations limit the window of opportunity for insiders to take action. If there’s no permanent access, there’s no space for silent sabotage.
Bolstering PAM with Other Security Controls
Whereas PAM is strong in its standalone capacity, it is even stronger when paired with your wider cybersecurity suite. Bridging PAM with Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions, Identity and Access Management (IAM) products, and endpoint monitoring tools raises visibility across your entire digital footprint.
In aggregate, they comprise a security platform that can identify nascent-stage insider threats that would otherwise pass undetected.
Who Needs PAM the Most?
While PAM can be valuable to organisations of any size, it’s especially important for:
- Businesses dealing with sensitive customer or financial information
- Government departments or highly regulated industries
- Distributed or remote organisations
- Businesses experiencing growth or digital disruption
If your organisation depends heavily on cloud infrastructure, third-party vendors, or large-scale internal IT staff, rolling out PAM should be a priority.
Tackling Insider Threats without Fostering Fear
Deploying PAM doesn’t mean you don’t trust your team—it means you value security. Transparency is key. Communicate the importance of accountability and explain that monitoring privileged access is a standard industry practice. Most employees will appreciate knowing that measures are in place to protect the company and their work.
Final Thoughts
Insider threats often go undetected because they come from trusted sources. That’s what makes them so dangerous. But with the right tools and strategies, these threats can be detected early—sometimes even before damage occurs.
PAM is not just a gatekeeper; it’s a smart monitoring system with visibility, accountability, and privilege access control. Using PAM to its maximum capacity, organisations are able to lower risk, react faster, and establish a security-first culture.
Ask yourself—are you monitoring the right doors, or just the ones that you imagine a stranger will be using?