Top Best Practices for Privileged Access Management You Need to Know

Why Privileged Access Management Is Non‑Negotiable in 2026

Privileged Access Management (PAM) is the baseline of modern identity and access governance. Privileged accounts, such as those used by IT "super‑users," pose a keystone risk, given their broad system permissions.

According to Verizon’s 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report, stolen credentials accounted for 22% of breach pathways, closely followed by exploited vulnerabilities at 20%, while third-party access incidents surged by 30% this year. This article delivers research-driven, practical best practices to reduce the attack surface, ensuring secure and compliant privileged access management in 2026.

Best Practices for Privileged Access Management (PAM)

Understand Your Privileged Access Landscape

Identifying every privileged identity, human and non-human, is the first and most critical step toward reducing risk. Privileged accounts include more than just IT administrators; they encompass shared accounts, service accounts, machine identities, and application accounts that hold elevated permissions across healthcare systems, cloud environments, and critical infrastructure.

Dormant or hidden accounts, like those of ex-employees or unused services, are high-risk due to weak or reused credentials. Automated discovery helps find and remove these backdoors, enforcing policy and shrinking the attack surface.

Methods to Identify Privileged Accounts

• Use Active Directory synchronization, network scans, and resource discovery for AWS, Azure, VMware, and Hyper-V to locate local, domain, and service accounts.
   
• Discovery must span operating systems (Windows, Linux, and Unix), network devices (routers and switches), and virtualized environments to secure SSH keys and dependent services.
   
• Privileged identities now include API keys, root accounts, and secrets embedded in CI/CD workflows. Securing these elements is essential to prevent unauthorized access to digital data and critical systems.
   
• Bots, microservices, and machine accounts often hold elevated permissions. Treat these with the same rigor as admin accounts to maintain compliance and protect sensitive data.

Apply Least Privilege and Access Models

The principle of least privilege (PoLP) minimizes the attack surface and reduces the risk of data breaches caused by excessive permissions. Recent advancements in Privileged Access Management (PAM) have transformed how organizations enforce PoLP:

• Instead of granting permanent elevated rights, Just-in-Time (JIT) Access models provide temporary privileged access for specific tasks, automatically revoking permissions after use. This eliminates standing privileges that attackers often exploit.
   
• Modern PAM solutions now automate the removal of persistent admin rights, replacing them with dynamic, time-bound access requests.
   
• AI-driven PAM tools assess risk context, such as device health, location, and behavior, before granting elevated permissions, aligning with zero-trust principles.
   
• Advanced PAM solutions secure API keys, service accounts, and machine identities in CI/CD pipelines, ensuring least privilege extends beyond human users.

Strengthen Authentication and Adaptive Controls

Modern Privileged Access Management (PAM) strategies integrate advanced methods to verify identity, device, and context before granting elevated access:

• Physical tokens and biometric-enabled devices provide phishing-resistant authentication, reducing reliance on static credentials.
   
• Combining factors like biometrics, OTPs, and push notifications ensures layered security for privileged accounts.
   
• PAM platforms now assess endpoint posture, patch status, and antivirus health before granting access, aligning with zero-trust principles.
   
• Zero trust mandates continuous verification, not just of users, but also of devices and session context. For privileged access, this means:
  
  • Validate identity with MFA and hardware tokens.
  • Confirm device compliance before session initiation.
  • Apply just-in-time elevation and revoke standing privileges immediately after task completion.

Centralize Credential Management and Vaulting

Recent analyses (EM360Tech) show vaults moving beyond simple storage toward context-aware, risk-adaptive platforms embedded in Identity Fabrics. These systems:

• Treat credentials as ephemeral intelligence, not permanent assets.
   
• Share telemetry with ITDR/SOC for real-time threat detection.
   
• Support crypto agility to prepare for post-quantum risks.

Best Practices for Credential Management:

• Automated Rotation & Passwordless for Service Accounts
   
• Enforce Unique Credentials Across the Organization
   
• Use Zero Standing Privileges (ZSP)
   
• Integration with Identity Governance & SIEM

Monitor, Record, and Analyze Privileged Activity

Privileged sessions on high-risk systems, domain controllers, and sensitive data stores are prime targets for attackers. Recent updates show PAM platforms embedding machine learning and identity threat detection (ITDR) capabilities to baseline normal privileged behavior and instantly flag anomalies.

• PAM solutions use ML to learn typical patterns, such as command sequences or data access volumes, and alert on anomalies like bulk file downloads at odd hours or privilege escalation attempts.
   
• AI-driven PAM now enforces policies in real-time, such as step-up authentication or session termination, while delivering audit trails and ML-based threat summaries to SIEM, thereby cutting response times from hours to minutes.
   
• Emerging IAM/PAM tools integrate ITDR to auto-adjust access policies post-incident, revoking over-privileged accounts and updating baselines dynamically.​

Secure PAM for Hybrid and Multi‑Cloud Environments

PAM is the backbone of securing critical systems, cloud infrastructure, and sensitive data. In hybrid and multi‑cloud setups (AWS, Azure, GCP, SaaS), privileged accounts, root accounts, and service accounts often sprawl across environments, creating an expanded attack surface and increasing the risk of credential theft and data breaches.

• Use PAM tools to unify access rights, enforce zero trust principles, and apply adaptive authentication across the entire organization.
   
• Replace static permissions with ephemeral elevated access for privileged users, reducing security risk and preventing unauthorized users from exploiting high-risk accounts.
   
• Secure API keys and secrets: Implement credential management in CI/CD to protect business operations and critical resources.
   
• Combine multi-factor authentication (MFA) with hardware tokens and device health checks for secure remote access.

Operationalize PAM as an Ongoing Process

Recent 2026 updates position PAM as a self-healing system that enforces least privilege without constant human intervention. Platforms now integrate identity governance (IGA), ITSM workflows, and AI to make PAM proactive rather than reactive.

To operationalize PAM effectively:

• Unite security teams, IT, and business stakeholders around a shared governance model.
   
• Integrate PAM with IGA, zero trust principles, and risk-based policies.
   
• Commit to continuous reviews and adaptive automation to protect sensitive data and maintain business continuity.

Conclusion

Modern PAM solutions integrate with IAM and identity governance to enforce least privilege and secure privileged activity across hybrid and cloud environments. Privileged accounts are prime targets for healthcare breaches, identity theft, and operational risks. Cybersecurity service provider TechDemocracy emphasizes automated discovery, password rotation, vaulting, and continuous monitoring to reduce excessive privileges. By applying PoLP with JIT access and automated workflows, organizations can protect sensitive data, maintain HIPAA/GDPR compliance, and strengthen healthcare security.