CyberArk Architectures Explained

• October 15 2024

CyberArk Architectures Explained

CyberArk is a leading provider of privileged access management (PAM) solutions that are designed to specifically secure and manage privileged accounts and credentials in enterprise environments. Created for a range of business needs, its architecture is built to protect, control, and monitor privileged accounts and sessions to minimize security risks.

Here’s an outline of CyberArk Architecture:

Core Components

Digital Vault (Vault or Enterprise Password Vault - EPV) has the broad main functions:
 

1. It may be described as the heart of CyberArk’s architecture, a place where all sensitive credentials like passwords, SSH keys, etc. are securely stored.
    
2. It uses strong encryption and permits only role-based access control, thus ensuring that only authorized users can gain access to specific accounts.
    
3. It operates as an isolated system created to remain tamper-proof at all times.
    

PVWA (Privileged Vault Web Access) has the following main functions:
 

1. It is a web-based interface that allows users and administrators to access and manage passwords, privileged accounts, and session recordings.
    
2. It is an interface for requesting, accessing, and checking credentials of the organization.
    
3. It enables capabilities like password rotation, session management, and auditing.
    

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PSM (Privileged Session Manager) provides the underneath:
 

1. As a component, it controls and monitors privileged sessions, providing real-time monitoring, recording, and auditing of session activities.
    
2. It enables secure access to remote systems without revealing the actual credentials to the user.
    
3. Through PSM, sessions may be recorded, analyzed, and terminated if suspicious behavior is detected upon analysis.

CPM (Central Policy Manager) works to provide the following functions:
 

1. It manages and rotates privileged credentials automatically based on predefined security policies.
    
2. It helps ensure that credentials are changed regularly or after use, if necessary, thereby reducing the risk of compromised passwords.
    

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Additional Components
 

1. CyberArk Agent: In this component, Agents can be installed on endpoints or servers in order to provide additional control over local privileged accounts.
    
2. AIM (Application Identity Manager): AIM is designed to secure application credentials. It allows applications to dynamically request and retrieve credentials from the vault, thereby avoiding hardcoded credentials in code.
    
3. PTA (Privileged Threat Analytics): PTA analyzes behavior related to privileged access, and helps to detect anomalies or potential threats. It identifies suspicious patterns and potential misuse of privileged accounts.
    
4. PACLI (Password Vault Command Line Interface): PACLI allows administrators access and management of CyberArk vaults through the command line offering script-based interactions with the Vault.

Operational Flow – This employs the steps mentioned underneath
 

1. Authentication: Users or applications authenticate to the PVWA or using APIs to request access to privileged accounts.
    
2. Request and Access: After authentication is successfully done, the user requests access to a privileged account. Based on role-based permissions, access is either granted or denied to the particular user.
    
3. Session Management: If access is granted, the user can then initiate a session via PSM, which can manage the session without disclosing the credentials.
    
4. Credential Rotation: CPM rotates the credentials according to policy (after each use, daily, etc. as per requirement of the organization).
    
5. Audit and Monitoring: PTA and PSM work together to monitor user behavior and session activities, recording, flagging and highlighting unusual behavior for review.
    

Security Features - Encompasses several strategies as mentioned hereunder
 

1. Encryption: All sensitive data (passwords, session recordings, etc.) are encrypted both in transit and at rest.
    
2. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Access to vault resources is restricted based on the user’s role and defined security policies.
    
3. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Supports integration with MFA for enhanced security.
    
4. Audit Trails: Full auditing of all privileged account activities, including who accessed which account, when, and for what reason.

Deployment Models of CyberArk – May be of three categories as under
 

1. On-Premise: CyberArk can be deployed within an organization’s data center for full control over the environment.
    
2. Cloud (SaaS): CyberArk’s cloud-based solutions that can provide the same PAM capabilities with easier scalability.
    
3. Hybrid: A combination of both on-premise and cloud deployments, allowing flexibility as per organizational needs.
    

CyberArk Architecture, designed with end-to-end security in mind, is hugely modular providing protection for privileged accounts to a variety of businesses. Through secure storage, automated credential rotation, session management, real-time monitoring, and threat analytics, CyberArk has become synonymous today with cyber security. Essentially, by centralizing control over privileged access, CyberArk’s architectures help reduce risks associated with privileged account misuse or compromise.