What are Privileged Accounts?
A privileged account is a user account that has more privileges than ordinary users.
Privileged accounts might, for example, be able to install or remove software, upgrade the operating system, or modify system or application configurations. They might also have access to files that are not normally accessible to standard users.
Privileged accounts are typically tied to roles within an organization. Examples include IT administrators, security teams, helpdesk experts, 3rd party contractors, application owners, database administrators, operating systems, and services accounts, etc.
Since privileged accounts always grant access to information or targets that are valuable or critical for the operations of a business, they require special audit attention and management.
Machine-To-Machine (M2M) and Application-To-Application (A2A) Accounts
A privileged account can also be a machine-to-machine (M2M) or application-to-application (A2A) account that runs automatic operations without human interaction.
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Machine-to-Machine (M2M): Automated communication between devices or systems, often used for data sharing and control.
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Application-to-Application (A2A): Automated interaction between software applications, enabling them to exchange information or perform coordinated tasks.
Typical examples include automated payment transactions, smart asset tracking in the shipping industry, automated claims handling in the insurance industry, or daily backups of corporate critical data.
Why Are Privileged Accounts Important?
Privileged accounts are important for several reasons, primarily because of the elevated permissions and critical access they provide within IT environments:
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Access to Sensitive Information: Privileged accounts often have access to confidential data, personal information, and intellectual property. This makes them crucial for identity security in any organization. Protecting this access prevents data leaks and ensures compliance with privacy regulations.
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Control Over IT Infrastructure: Administrative and root accounts control network configurations, system settings, software installations, and other critical access rights. They ensure the secure operation and maintenance of an organization's IT infrastructure.
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Impact on Business Operations: These accounts can modify, disable, or enable services crucial for daily business operations. Misuse or compromise can lead to service outages or operational disruptions.
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Prime Targets for Cyberattacks: Due to the elevated privileges, attackers actively seek to compromise these accounts, making stringent access control essential for their protection. Successful exploitation can lead to data breaches, ransomware deployment, and lateral movement within networks. Particularly in enterprise environments, these attacks can have widespread effects.
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Compliance Requirements: Regulations and standards (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, NIST) often mandate strict controls over privileged access to protect sensitive data, with zero trust architectures providing additional layers of defense. Managing these accounts helps organizations meet compliance requirements and pass audits.
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Accountability and Auditing: Monitoring and managing privileged account activity are essential for tracking changes, detecting anomalies, and ensuring accountability among system administrators.
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Risk Mitigation: Following best practices for the management of privileged accounts reduces the risk of unauthorized access, insider threats, and accidental changes that could jeopardize data integrity or availability.
Types of Privileged Accounts
Root and Administrator Accounts
Root and administrator accounts are typically used for installing and removing software and changing configurations. They grant very broad and highest access privileges for specific servers or databases and are also appropriately called superuser accounts.
In Windows, admin accounts are user accounts that are used for managing aspects of a computer, domain, or the whole enterprise IT infrastructure.
Administrator accounts are often named Administrator in standalone computers and small environments. However, any user in Windows can be made an administrator by adding it to the proper group.
Common administrator account subtypes include Local Administrator and Domain Administrator.
Domain Administrator Accounts
Domain Administrator accounts grant full access and control of the Active Directory (AD) domain. These accounts are particularly armed and dangerous since they give control over:
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Domain controllers
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Domain workstations,
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Domain member servers
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Modifying the configuration of Active Directory or any content stored in Active Directory. This includes creating new users, deleting users, and changing their permissions.
Domain administrator is a kind of Administrator account.
Local Administrator Accounts
Local Administrator accounts are user accounts that can manage a local computer in Windows. Generally, a local administrator can do anything to the local computer but is not able to modify information in the active directory for other computers and other users.
The local administrator account is often called Administrator, but any user can be made a local administrator by adding the user to the Local Administrator group.
Service Accounts
Service accounts are used for running processes, such as web servers, database servers, and application servers. Service accounts may also be created just to own data and configuration files.
Service accounts are not intended to be used by people, except for performing administrative operations.
Application Accounts
Application accounts are linked to the specific application software and typically administer, configure, or manage access to the application software.
Application accounts allow interactions between applications and are typically run automatically without human interaction. The exception to the rule is maintenance tasks performed by privileged users.
System Accounts
System accounts are created by an operating system during installation and used for running operating system components and owning related files.
System accounts often have predefined user ids. Examples of system accounts include the root account in Linux.
System Accounts vs Service Accounts
The distinction between system accounts and service accounts is sometimes blurred.
Generally:
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System Accounts: Typically created and managed by the operating system, these accounts are used for core system-level tasks, such as running background processes, maintaining file systems, or managing system resources. They often have broad privileges over the entire system.
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Service Accounts: Accounts specifically set up for running applications or services, such as databases or web servers. They typically have limited privileges tailored to the specific needs of the service to enhance security.
However, many system accounts run operating system processes, and in this respect resemble service accounts. Some system accounts, such as root, are also logged into by system administrators.
Summary
Privileged accounts are vital for managing and securing critical IT infrastructure, sensitive data, and essential services.
Their elevated permissions grant them control over core systems, applications, and operations, making them indispensable for organizations. However, this power also comes with significant risks: if compromised, privileged accounts can lead to catastrophic security breaches, data loss, or disruptions.
By understanding the different types of privileged accounts and implementing stringent account management and auditing practices, organizations can minimize these risks, maintain compliance, and protect their digital assets effectively.
Securing privileged accounts properly is crucial in today's dynamic digital landscape, where cyber threats keep evolving rapidly.
Privileged access management (PAM) refers to a set of processes and tools for controlling, monitoring, and auditing privileged accounts and access. Traditional PAM solutions are typically based on password vaults and password rotation, whereas modern next generation systems avoid passwords altogether.
FAQ
What role do privileged accounts play in identity security and why are they important to protect?
Privileged accounts are crucial for identity security because they control critical systems and sensitive data. If compromised, they could grant unauthorized access to attackers, leading to data breaches or system manipulation. Protecting these accounts prevents misuse and ensures compliance with security standards.
How can a zero trust framework help secure admin accounts and reduce the risks associated with privileged access?
A zero trust framework requires continuous verification of identities and permissions before granting access to admin accounts. This approach limits risks by verifying every request and restricting lateral movement, ensuring only authorized users access critical systems.
Why are cyberthreats against unmanaged privileged accounts so dangerous for organizations operating in an enterprise environment?
Unmanaged privileged accounts lack proper oversight, making them prime targets for cyberthreats. In an enterprise environment, compromised accounts can be exploited to access sensitive data across multiple systems, disrupt operations, and facilitate large-scale attacks.
What distinguishes privileged access from standard user accounts, and how can organizations take their account security to the next level?
Privileged access provides elevated permissions to modify critical systems, unlike standard user accounts with limited access. Organizations can enhance security by implementing strong authentication, regularly auditing privileged activities, and following the principle of least privilege to minimize risks.
