Optiv Security launches Privileged Access Managed Service

Optiv Security announced its Privileged Access Managed Service. A remotely delivered, managed offering, this service is designed to help public and private entities protect privileged credentials, the link in the security chain and the source of a number of breaches.

Optiv’s Privileged Access Managed service includes: management of availability and performance optimization, release management, administration, and reporting.

These capabilities combine with Optiv’s consulting services – as well the company’s technology resale, implementation and integration services – to provide clients with an end-to-end managed identity solution.

Optiv is teaming with CyberArk for this launch to help extend this layer of IT security to protect data, infrastructure and assets across the enterprise, in the cloud and throughout the DevOps pipeline.

“With breaches, often due to internal threats, connected devices and unprotected data on the rise, ensuring security via an effective identity and access management program is critical,” said Bryan Wiese, Optiv’s vice president, advisory services.

“A successful IAM program should be approached strategically, from the inside out, beginning at the core of the security operation, evaluating current needs, business drivers, and risks. With this information in hand, organizations can optimize their IAM programs to ensure proper infrastructure management.

“In addition, every organization should include privileged accounts as a key component of its IAM program because they are high targets that offer attackers more access for their effort.”

Unprotected privileged credentials pose a problem on two dimensions: They give certain individuals universal access to the most sensitive systems, which poses a potential insider threat, and credentials are the primary target of cyber attackers enabling them to penetrate corporate networks.

In fact, most damaging attacks involve stolen privileged credentials. In addition, the expansion of the enterprise attack surface through trends like mobile, cloud and the internet of things (IoT), combined with the chronic cyber security skills shortage, have exacerbated the privileged credentials problem: There are more attack vectors than ever into enterprises and few people who have the skills to protect and manage those credentials.

Optiv’s Privileged Access Managed Service helps organizations overcome these issues by giving clients access to a wealth of privileged access management expertise, delivered by an managed services organization.

“CyberArk has a strong relationship with Optiv and is working closely with them to help customers prioritize privileged access security as a core risk management initiative,” said Scott Whitehouse, vice president, channels and alliances, CyberArk.

“Based on Optiv’s experience in the security industry, the company is well-positioned to support organizations that have implemented CyberArk make the most of their deployments and quickly benefit from the exceptional simplicity, automation and risk reduction that only CyberArk delivers.”