CIEM (Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management) is related to IAM (Identity and Access Management), PIM (Privileged Identity Management), and PAM (Privileged Access Management), but they all serve specific aspects of managing access and security,. and compliment each other in an organisation’s IT environment, particularly in cloud and hybrid environments.
Here’s how they are related:
IAM (Identity and Access Management)
IAM focuses on managing and controlling access to various resources within an organization, including cloud services. IAM solutions handle user authentication, authorization, and access provisioning. CIEM often integrates with IAM systems to provide visibility and control over cloud entitlements and permissions.
PIM (Privileged Identity Management)
PIM is a subset of IAM that specifically deals with managing and securing privileged accounts and access. Privileged accounts have elevated permissions, and PIM solutions ensure that access to these accounts is tightly controlled, monitored, and audited. CIEM may interact with PIM to assess and monitor privileged access in the cloud.
PAM (Privileged Access Management)
PAM, like PIM, focuses on managing privileged access, but it also includes tools and processes for secure session management and credential rotation. PAM solutions typically provide temporary, just-in-time access to privileged accounts for administrators. CIEM can complement PAM by assessing permissions and entitlements associated with privileged accounts in cloud environments.
In summary, while CIEM, IAM, PIM, and PAM are related and can complement each other, they have distinct focuses:
- CIEM, manages and secures entitlements and permissions for both regular and privileged users in cloud environments, focusing on entitlements and permissions.
- IAM, manages user access and identities across the organization’s IT systems, including cloud services.
- PIM, focuses on securing privileged identities and their access across IT systems, including cloud services.
- PAM, manages and secures privileged access, including session management and credential rotation, across IT systems, including cloud services.
Organisations often implement a combination of these solutions to comprehensively manage and secure their cloud and hybrid environments, depending on their specific security and compliance requirements.
