PAM adoption is much easier, and implementations go much more smoothly when you get a few things right up front. Here are the three we rely on most.
You should never rush into an environment blindly. Work in these three phases:
Identify the privileged accounts, map how access works today, and meet with each team to agree on what success looks like.
Build the tactical plan and catch any blockers early, with weekly checkpoints so nobody's surprised.
Carefully take that design and secure your production accounts. Validate that everything works so teams continue operating without downtime.
Key Takeaway: This phased approach helps break up what seem like large, intimidating initiatives and turns them into manageable "bite-sized" tasks.
You don't secure everything at once, and you shouldn't try. Go after the high-risk, low-effort accounts first, especially those with the most privilege and the most assets. They give you the biggest security win for the least work and help you show value early, instead of waiting a year to point to results.
High-Risk, High-Privilege Accounts
Biggest security win, least work
High-Use Accounts
Accounts spreading hashes across your network
High-Risk Service Accounts
Woven in before local accounts
Local OS Accounts
Lower complexity, broader surface area
Service & Application Accounts
Most complex, longest to secure — tackle only after everything else is locked down
Don't lead with service accounts. If you lead with service accounts, you end up spending precious time working through them while the other easy-win accounts with arguably larger risk run wild in your environment.
Partner with each team that owns privileged accounts, identify a champion, and meet with them weekly to learn their workflows and discuss any concerns about rotation.
Address those concerns before they become blockers, and show them what's in it for them — not just what the security team needs.
To keep things efficient, meet with multiple teams each week so you're not slowly progressing through an organization.
People are like water; they'll flow to the path of least resistance. If the vault is easier than the workaround, they'll use it.
Identify a Champion
Find an advocate within each team who understands their workflows.
Weekly Meetings
Maintain regular touchpoints to catch concerns early and stay aligned.
Address Concerns Early
Discuss rotation concerns before they turn into adoption blockers.
Show the WIIFM
Demonstrate what's in it for them, not just the security team.
Do these three, and a rollout stops feeling like one massive project and starts feeling like a series of small wins that help you gain momentum.
If your team wants some structure around a PAM rollout, we can help.
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Start With Easy Wins
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