Privileged Access Management (PAM) Metrics
Measurement of privileged account security, usage patterns, and adherence to access controls
Current Value
92.8%
+3.7% from previous period
Industry average: 85%
Calculation Method
Composite score based on privileged account compliance, rotation rates, and session monitoring
Significance
This KPI evaluates how effectively your organization manages privileged accounts, which are primary targets for attackers and involved in most advanced security breaches.
Definition
Privileged Access Management (PAM) Metrics measure the security posture around privileged accounts—those with elevated access rights to systems, applications, and data. This composite KPI typically includes measurements for privileged account compliance, credential rotation, session monitoring coverage, just-in-time access approval rates, and anomalous privilege usage.
Significance
Privileged accounts represent the "keys to the kingdom" and are high-value targets for attackers. According to industry research, over 80% of security breaches involve compromised privileged credentials. Effective privileged access management is essential for limiting lateral movement and reducing the impact of security incidents.
This KPI helps security teams identify weaknesses in privileged access controls and enforce the principle of least privilege across the organization.
Calculation Method
This composite metric includes several key components:
- Privileged Account Inventory Coverage: Percentage of privileged accounts managed by PAM system
- Credential Rotation Compliance: Percentage of privileged accounts with credentials rotated according to policy
- Session Monitoring Coverage: Percentage of privileged sessions that are recorded and monitored
- Just-in-Time (JIT) Access Rate: Percentage of privileged access that uses temporary, just-in-time provisioning
- Anomalous Privilege Usage: Number of detected anomalous privileged account activities
The overall PAM score is a weighted average of these components, with weights adjusted based on organizational priorities and risk assessments.
Current Performance
Our PAM metrics have improved from 89.1% to 92.8% over the past 12 months.
• Privileged Account Inventory: 97.3% coverage
• Credential Rotation Compliance: 94.8%
• Session Monitoring: 96.2% coverage
• Just-in-Time Access: 88.5% implementation
• Anomalous Privilege Usage: 5 incidents (down from 12 last year)
Benchmark
Industry average: 85% PAM implementation effectiveness
Best practice target: >95% overall, with 100% for critical systems and administrator accounts