Privileged access
Privileged access is the authority to make administrative or elevated changes to systems and to see sensitive information — the access held by administrators, root, and service accounts. Learn what counts as privileged access, how it is secured, and why it is the primary target in most breaches.
What is privileged access?
Privileged access is any access that carries elevated rights beyond those of a standard user — the ability to change configurations, reach sensitive data, install software, or bypass ordinary controls. It is held by human administrators as well as non-human accounts such as services and automation. Because privileged access can do the most damage if misused, it is governed far more tightly than everyday user access.
What accounts hold privileged access?
Privileged access is spread across more accounts than most organizations realize:
- Administrator accounts — local and domain admins on servers and workstations.
- Root and superuser accounts on Linux and Unix systems.
- Service and application accounts that run automated processes and integrations.
- Cloud and infrastructure accounts with broad console or API permissions.
- Network device, database, and hypervisor administrator credentials.
How is privileged access secured?
Privileged access is secured through the disciplines of privileged access management (PAM): storing credentials in an encrypted vault, injecting them into sessions so users never see them, granting elevated rights just-in-time rather than permanently, rotating credentials automatically, and recording privileged sessions for audit. The goal is to ensure privileged access is used only when needed, by the right people, with a full record of activity.
Privileged access vs. standard access
Standard access lets a user do their everyday job — open applications, reach the files and systems their role requires. Privileged access adds the power to change how systems work and to reach data that ordinary users cannot. That difference in power is why the two are managed separately: standard access is handled through everyday identity and access management, while privileged access is governed by PAM.
Why does privileged access matter?
Compromised privileged access is behind a large share of serious security incidents, because it gives an attacker the reach of a trusted administrator. Controlling it — removing standing privilege, hiding credentials, and auditing every use — is one of the highest-impact steps an organization can take to reduce breach risk and meet compliance requirements.
Frequently asked questions
What is privileged access?
Privileged access is the authority to make administrative or elevated changes to a network or computer and to see sensitive information. It is held by administrators, root, and service accounts, and is governed more tightly than standard user access because it can do the most damage if misused.
What is the difference between privileged access and standard access?
Standard access lets a user do their everyday job, reaching the applications and files their role requires. Privileged access adds the power to change how systems work and to reach data ordinary users cannot. Standard access is handled through everyday identity and access management, while privileged access is governed by privileged access management (PAM).
How is privileged access secured?
Privileged access is secured through privileged access management: vaulting credentials, injecting them into sessions so users never see them, granting rights just-in-time, rotating credentials automatically, and recording privileged sessions for audit.
Bring privileged access under control
Secure, rotate, and audit every privileged account across your infrastructure.
Related terms
Privileged access management (PAM)
Controls, audits, and secures access to an organization's most sensitive systems.
Read now →Least privilege
Granting users only the access needed to carry out their responsibilities.
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