What is CyberArk and Why You Should Learn CyberArk in 2024

• March 27 2024

What is CyberArk and Why You Should Learn CyberArk in 2024

As the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats keeps getting increasingly complex, the role and necessity of engaging cybersecurity companies assumes more and more importance. In case you are still wondering why your company is required to enlist dedicated professionals to eliminate cybersecurity, here are some top reasons:

1. Expertise and Specialization
2. Technological Innovation
3. Threat Intelligence 
4. Comprehensive Solutions 
5. Compliance and Regulatory Expertise
6. Incident Response and Recovery
7. Awareness and Training

CyberArk is a cybersecurity company that offers tailored privileged access management (PAM) solutions. Privileged access refers to accounts with elevated permissions within an IT environment, such as those of system administrators or IT managers. CyberArk's primary focus is on protecting these privileged accounts and credentials from unauthorized access, misuse, and exploitation by external attackers or insider threats.

CyberArk’s products and services help organizations secure and manage privileged accounts, monitor privileged access activity, enforce security policies, and mitigate the risk of data breaches or unauthorized access to sensitive systems and information.

CyberArk’s Range of Software Solutions

CyberArk offers a suite of software solutions designed to address various aspects of privileged access management (PAM) and cybersecurity. Here are some of its key software offerings:

1. Privileged Account Security

This is CyberArk's core PAM solution, which includes features such as password vaulting, session management, access controls, password rotation, and privileged threat analytics. It helps organisations secure, manage, and monitor privileged accounts and access across their IT environment.

2. Endpoint Privilege Manager (EPM)

EPM extends privileged access management to endpoints, such as desktops, laptops, and servers. It enforces least privilege policies, controls application and process execution, and monitors endpoint activity to prevent privilege escalation and malware attacks.

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3. Alero

Alero is a cloud-based authentication solution that provides secure remote access to privileged systems without the need for VPNs or passwords. It enables users to authenticate using biometric authentication or mobile push notifications, enhancing security and usability for remote access scenarios.

4. CyberArk Identity Security

This solution helps organisations manage and secure identities across their IT environment, including privileged and non-privileged accounts. It provides capabilities for identity lifecycle management, access governance, single sign-on (SSO), and multi-factor authentication (MFA).

5. CyberArk Core Privileged Access Security

This suite combines various CyberArk solutions into a comprehensive platform for managing privileged access across an organisation's entire IT infrastructure. It includes features such as privileged account security, endpoint privilege management, identity security, and threat analytics.

6. Privileged Cloud

Privileged Cloud is a cloud-native solution that extends CyberArk's PAM capabilities to cloud environments, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). It helps organisations secure and manage privileged access in hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

7. Integration Connectors and Adapters

CyberArk provides a range of integration connectors and adapters to facilitate seamless integration with other security and IT infrastructure components, such as SIEM systems, ticketing systems, identity management solutions, and DevOps tools.

What are the Benefits of CyberArk?

As a specialised software solutions company, CyberArk offers several benefits to organisations seeking to enhance their cybersecurity posture, particularly in the domain of privileged access management (PAM). 

Here, we list some of the key benefits:

1. Protection of Critical Assets

CyberArk helps protect an organisation's most sensitive assets by securing privileged accounts and credentials. By safeguarding these accounts, organisations can mitigate the risk of unauthorised access, data breaches, and cyberattacks targeting critical systems and information.

2. Prevention of Insider Threats

Insider threats, whether intentional or accidental, pose a significant risk to organisations. CyberArk helps mitigate this risk by implementing controls such as least privilege access, session monitoring, and threat analytics to detect and respond to suspicious behaviour by privileged users.

3. Compliance with Regulations

Many industries are subject to stringent regulatory requirements governing data security and privacy. CyberArk's solutions help organisations achieve compliance with regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, SOX, and PCI-DSS by providing robust access controls, audit trails, and reporting capabilities.

4. Enhanced Operational Efficiency

By automating processes such as password management, session recording, and access provisioning, CyberArk streamlines administrative tasks and reduces the burden on IT staff. This allows organizations to operate more efficiently while ensuring security and compliance requirements are met.

5. Reduced Risk of Credential Theft

CyberArk's password vaulting and rotation capabilities reduce the risk of credential theft by storing privileged account credentials in a secure, encrypted vault and automatically rotating passwords according to predefined policies. This helps prevent attackers from gaining unauthorized access to critical systems and data.

6. Centralised Management and Visibility

CyberArk provides a centralised platform for managing privileged accounts and access across an organisation's entire IT infrastructure. This centralised approach improves visibility into privileged access activity, simplifies management tasks, and enables organisations to enforce consistent security policies across all systems and applications.

7. Scalability and Flexibility

CyberArk's solutions are designed to scale with the needs of organisations, whether they are small businesses or large enterprises. The platform can adapt to evolving IT environments, supporting cloud-based, on-premises, and hybrid deployments to meet the unique requirements of diverse organisations.

Deep Dive into CyberArk Architecture

CyberArk's architecture encompasses the various components and modules that make up its privileged access management (PAM) platform. The architecture is designed to provide comprehensive protection for privileged accounts and access within an organization's IT environment. While specific implementations may vary based on organisational needs and deployment models, here are the key components typically found in CyberArk's architecture:

1. Central Policy and Management Server

At the core of CyberArk's architecture is a centralised policy and management server. This server acts as the control centre for the entire PAM platform, providing a single point of management for configuring security policies, defining access controls, and monitoring privileged access activity.

2. Privileged Account Security Vault (Vault)

The Privileged Account Security Vault is a secure repository for storing and managing privileged account credentials, such as passwords, SSH keys, and API keys. The vault employs encryption and access controls to ensure that sensitive information is protected from unauthorised access.

3. Session Management Server

This component is responsible for managing privileged sessions initiated by users accessing critical systems and applications. It provides session recording, monitoring, and playback capabilities to track user activity and detect any suspicious behaviour.

4. Access Control and Authentication Services

CyberArk integrates with existing authentication services, such as Active Directory or LDAP, to authenticate users and enforce access controls based on their roles and permissions. This ensures that only authorised users can access privileged accounts and resources.

5. Privileged Access Workstations (PAWs)

PAWs are dedicated workstations used by privileged users to access sensitive systems and data. These workstations are hardened and locked down to minimize the risk of compromise and prevent unauthorised access to privileged accounts.

6. Endpoint Privilege Manager (EPM)

EPM is a component that extends privileged access management to endpoints, such as desktops, laptops, and servers. It enforces least privilege policies, controls application and process execution, and monitors endpoint activity to prevent privilege escalation and malware attacks.

7. Integration Adapters and Connectors

CyberArk provides a range of integration adapters and connectors to seamlessly integrate with other security and IT infrastructure components, such as SIEM systems, ticketing systems, and identity management solutions. These integrations enable organisations to centralise and automate privileged access management processes.

8. Reporting and Analytics Engine

The platform includes reporting and analytics capabilities to provide insights into privileged access activity, compliance posture, and security risks. Organisations can generate custom reports, dashboards, and alerts to monitor and analyse privileged access across their IT environment.

Here’s How CyberArk Works

CyberArk works by providing a comprehensive set of tools and capabilities to secure, manage, and monitor privileged accounts and access within an organisation's IT environment. Here's an overview of how CyberArk works:

1. Discovery and Inventory

The first step involves identifying and cataloguing all privileged accounts within the organisation's IT infrastructure. This includes accounts on servers, databases, network devices, applications, and more. CyberArk's Discovery and Inventory tools automatically scan the network to locate privileged accounts and gather relevant information about them.

2. Credential Vaulting

CyberArk securely stores and manages privileged account credentials in a centralised vault. This vault employs strong encryption and access controls to protect sensitive information from unauthorised access. Instead of storing passwords in plaintext or spreadsheets, organisations can centralise credential management within CyberArk, reducing the risk of credential theft and misuse.

3. Privileged Session Management

When privileged users need to access critical systems or applications, CyberArk facilitates this access through privileged session management. Users authenticate to CyberArk, which then brokers the session on their behalf. During the session, CyberArk records all user activity, including keystrokes, commands, and screen captures. This provides organisations with a detailed audit trail of privileged access activity for compliance, forensics, and monitoring purposes.

4. Access Control and Least Privilege

CyberArk enforces access controls to ensure that users only have access to the resources and systems they need to perform their job duties. This principle of least privilege minimises the risk of unauthorised access and reduces the attack surface. CyberArk integrates with existing identity and access management (IAM) systems, such as Active Directory or LDAP, to authenticate users and enforce access policies based on their roles and permissions.

5. Password Rotation and Management

CyberArk automates the process of rotating privileged account passwords according to predefined policies. This reduces the risk of credential theft by ensuring that passwords are regularly changed and not shared among multiple users. Additionally, CyberArk can integrate with third-party password management solutions to synchronise password changes across the IT environment.

6. Threat Detection and Response

CyberArk employs advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms to detect and respond to potential threats related to privileged access. This includes identifying anomalous user behaviour, detecting suspicious activity, and alerting security teams to potential security incidents. By correlating privileged access data with threat intelligence feeds, CyberArk helps organisations proactively identify and mitigate security risks.

7. Compliance and Reporting

CyberArk provides comprehensive reporting and audit capabilities to help organisations demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements and internal security policies. Organisations can generate custom reports, dashboards, and alerts to monitor privileged access activity, track compliance status, and investigate security incidents.

How CyberArk is Implemented

Implementing CyberArk involves several steps to deploy and configure its privileged access management (PAM) solutions effectively. Here's an overview of the typical implementation process:

1. Assessment and Planning

The first step is to assess the organisation's current privileged access management practices, identify existing security gaps, and define the desired outcomes of the CyberArk implementation. This involves conducting a thorough review of privileged accounts, access controls, and security policies.

2. Requirements Gathering

Work closely with stakeholders from IT, security, and other relevant departments to gather requirements for the CyberArk implementation. This includes identifying the systems, applications, and resources that require protection, as well as defining access policies, compliance requirements, and integration needs.

3. Architecture Design

Based on the assessment and requirements gathering, design the architecture for the CyberArk deployment. This involves determining the placement of CyberArk components, such as the Vault, Session Management Server, and Access Control Server, and integrations with existing IT infrastructure.

4. Installation and Configuration

Install the CyberArk software components according to the planned architecture. This typically involves deploying servers, configuring databases, setting up network connections, and installing software packages. Configure the CyberArk Vault, Session Management Server, Access Control Server, and other components based on the organisation's requirements and best practices.

5. Integration with IT Systems

Integrate CyberArk with existing IT systems and infrastructure, such as directory services (e.g., Active Directory, LDAP), authentication systems, ticketing systems, and security information and event management (SIEM) solutions. Configure connectors and adapters to facilitate seamless communication between CyberArk and other systems.

6. User Training and Adoption

Provide training and support to users, administrators, and other stakeholders to ensure they understand how to use CyberArk effectively. This includes training on password management, session management, access request workflows, and compliance requirements. Encourage user adoption by highlighting the benefits of CyberArk and demonstrating its ease of use.

7. Testing and Validation

Conduct thorough testing of the CyberArk implementation to ensure that it meets the organisation's security, performance, and usability requirements. Test various scenarios, such as password rotation, session recording, access controls, and integration workflows, to identify and address any issues or discrepancies.

8. Deployment and Rollout

Once testing is complete and the CyberArk implementation has been validated, deploy the solution into production. Develop a rollout plan to gradually transition users and systems to CyberArk, ensuring minimal disruption to ongoing operations. Monitor the deployment closely to address any issues or concerns that may arise during the rollout process.

9. Ongoing Maintenance and Support

Provide ongoing maintenance and support for the CyberArk implementation, including software updates, patches, and troubleshooting assistance. Regularly review and update access policies, monitor privileged access activity, and conduct periodic security assessments to ensure the continued effectiveness of the CyberArk solution.

Why You Should Learn CyberArk in 2024

Learning CyberArk and gaining proficiency in its privileged access management (PAM) solutions can offer several benefits, both personally and professionally. Consider the ones underneath:

1. Ever-growing Demand

With the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats, the demand for cybersecurity professionals with expertise in privileged access management is on the rise. Learning CyberArk can open up career opportunities in various industries including finance, healthcare, government, and technology.

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2. A Critical Skillset

Privileged access management is a critical aspect of cybersecurity as privileged accounts are often targeted by attackers seeking to gain unauthorised access to sensitive systems and data. By learning CyberArk, you acquire valuable skills in securing, managing, and monitoring privileged accounts, which are essential for protecting organisations from cyber threats and insider abuse.

3. Compliance Requirements

Many industries are subject to regulatory requirements governing data security and privacy, such as GDPR, HIPAA, SOX, and PCI-DSS. CyberArk's solutions help organisations achieve compliance with these regulations by providing robust access controls, audit trails, and reporting capabilities. Learning CyberArk can position you as a valuable asset in helping organisations meet their compliance obligations.

4. Career Advancement

CyberArk certification programs such as the CyberArk Certified Defender (Level 1) and CyberArk Certified Sentry (Level 2), can enhance your credentials and demonstrate your expertise in privileged access management. Achieving CyberArk certification can help you advance your career, increase your earning potential, and differentiate yourself in the competitive job market.

Also read: The Career Scope of Learning CyberArk in 2024

5. Contribution to Security Posture

By learning CyberArk and implementing its PAM solutions, you can make a significant contribution to enhancing the security posture of organisations. Privileged access management is a foundational security control that helps prevent data breaches, insider threats, and unauthorised access to critical systems and data. By mastering CyberArk, you can play a vital role in protecting organisations from cyber risks and vulnerabilities.

6. Continuous Learning and Development

Cybersecurity is a rapidly evolving field as newer threats, technologies, and best practices keep emerging regularly. Learning CyberArk allows you to stay updated with the latest developments in privileged access management and continue to develop your skills and knowledge in cybersecurity.

Thus, getting yourself trained in CyberArk can be a rewarding investment in career growth and professional development as it opens up opportunities to make a meaningful impact in cybersecurity and contribute to the security and resilience of organisations in an increasingly digital world.