Privileged Access Management (PAM) is becoming one of the most important cybersecurity priorities of 2024. Attackers are no longer trying to break in through firewalls or network vulnerabilities the way they used to. Instead, they’re going after identities — especially admin accounts inside Microsoft 365, Azure AD/Entra, and local servers.
And once an attacker gets any kind of elevated access, everything changes. They can disable protections, create backdoor accounts, access data across your cloud apps, and deploy ransomware in minutes. This is why organizations of all sizes — especially small and midsized businesses — are focusing heavily on privileged access right now.
Why privilege is the #1 target this year
Identity-based attacks are rising across every industry. Threat actors know they don’t need advanced exploits anymore; they just need a password or an authentication token. With that one foothold, they can escalate privileges and take control.
In 2024, we’re seeing attackers use:
- stolen MFA tokens
- social engineering against admins
- replayed login sessions
- token theft from compromised devices
- app permissions in Azure AD to gain hidden privilege
This makes privileged accounts the easiest — and most damaging — way for attackers to get in.
The most common privilege risks we’re finding
Across organizations moving to modern security standards, we keep seeing the same issues:
- Too many Microsoft 365 Global Administrators
- Admin roles assigned to everyday user accounts
- Stale service accounts with high-level access
- Vendor accounts with permissions nobody remembers granting
- Local admin rights across laptops and desktops
- No monitoring of admin actions in Microsoft 365 or Azure AD
None of this is unusual — it’s just how systems grew over time. But in 2024, it’s a serious security concern.
What PAM actually looks like
Privileged Access Management isn’t about buying an expensive enterprise platform. It’s about putting practical guardrails around who can do what — and reducing unnecessary exposure.
A modern PAM approach includes:
- Just-In-Time access (JIT)
Admins get elevated rights only when needed, not all the time. - Separate admin accounts
Admins don’t use privileged roles for email or everyday work. - MFA on every privileged action
Not just logging in — performing sensitive actions triggers MFA. - Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
Microsoft Entra tools that require approval before activating admin roles. - Cleanup of old accounts and roles
Removing unused permissions cuts off hidden attack paths. - Session monitoring
Admin activity is logged so suspicious behavior is easier to detect.
Why this matters for both technical and business leaders
For non-technical teams: A privileged account is basically the “master key” to your systems. If it gets compromised, attackers can go anywhere and do anything.
For technical teams: Identity-based ransomware and business email compromise are happening because privilege is too easy to escalate. Controlling admin access is one of the highest-value security improvements available this year.
The bottom line
PAM isn’t about slowing people down — it’s about protecting your business from the most common and most damaging attacks happening right now. Companies that get privileged access under control dramatically reduce their risk, improve cyber insurance readiness, and strengthen their Microsoft 365 and cloud security posture.