Secure External Access
Deliver secure, native access while accelerating vendor onboarding. CyberArk Vendor PAM delivers a secure, VPN-less, passwordless experience to critical assets with biometric MFA.
CHALLENGES
Third-party access Is a prime target for attackers.
External vendors and contractors require privileged access to critical systems, but traditional approaches leave standing credentials exposed. Attackers exploit these persistent entitlements to gain entry, move laterally, and compromise sensitive assets. Without controls that limit access to only when it’s needed, every vendor relationship becomes a potential breach vector.
Legacy access methods create friction and risk.
VPNs, shared accounts, and manual credential distribution slow vendor onboarding and frustrate IT teams. These outdated approaches also expand attack surfaces by requiring agents, corporate devices, or always-on network connectivity. Security teams are left choosing between operational speed and proper access controls.
Standing privileges persist long after work Is done.
Vendor accounts often retain elevated permissions well beyond project completion. Without automated deprovisioning and just-in-time access controls, organizations accumulate orphaned accounts and excessive entitlements that auditors flag and attackers exploit.
Compliance demands full visibility into vendor activity.
Regulatory frameworks like SOX, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and NIS2 require documented controls over third-party privileged access. Fragmented tools and inconsistent session recording make it difficult to prove compliance, putting organizations at risk of audit failures and penalties.
KEY CAPABILITIES & FEATURES
Secure, Streamlined Vendor Privileged Access
CyberArk delivers secure third-party access without VPNs, passwords, or agents. Vendors connect through browser-based, end-to-end encrypted sessions with biometric MFA and just-in-time provisioning. Every session is isolated, monitored, and recorded for complete visibility. Access is granted only when needed and automatically revoked when work is done—zero standing privileges by default.
VPN-less, Passwordless, Agentless Access
Vendors connect securely through any browser without VPNs, agents, passwords, or corporate devices. End-to-end encryption protects every session.
Biometric Multi-Factor Authentication
Validate vendor identities with phishing-resistant biometric MFA before each session, reducing credential theft and impersonation risk.
Just-in-Time Provisioning
Grant time-bound access only when needed. Entitlements are provisioned dynamically and revoked automatically—no standing privileges between sessions.
Full Session Isolation and Recording
Every vendor session is isolated, monitored in real time, and recorded with searchable logs for rapid investigation and compliance.
Secure Offline Access for OT Environments
Provide authorized vendors secure credential access in air-gapped or disconnected environments with full audit trails.
Simplified Onboarding and Self-Service
Accelerate vendor onboarding with intuitive workflows. Administrators or vendors can manage invitations with automatic deprovisioning.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions on Secure External Access solution
CyberArk Vendor PAM replaces VPNs with secure, browser-based access using end-to-end encryption. Vendors authenticate with biometric MFA and connect directly to authorized systems through isolated sessions. This approach eliminates the attack surface created by always-on network connectivity, removes the need for agents or corporate devices, and provides faster onboarding. Security teams maintain full control with session monitoring and recording while vendors get a frictionless experience.
Zero standing privileges (ZSP) means vendors have no persistent entitlements between sessions. Instead of maintaining always-on access that attackers can exploit, CyberArk dynamically provisions time-bound permissions only when work is required. When the session ends, access is automatically revoked. Even if a vendor identity is compromised, there are no standing credentials or entitlements to abuse. This approach significantly reduces breach risk while simplifying access governance.
Vendor privileged access management (Vendor PAM) secures third-party access to critical internal systems without traditional infrastructure like VPNs, agents, or shared passwords. It provides external vendors with just-in-time, least-privilege access through isolated, monitored sessions. Vendors authenticate using biometric MFA and connect via browser—no corporate device required. Access is automatically provisioned when needed and revoked when complete, ensuring zero standing privileges between sessions.
Just-in-time (JIT) access grants vendors privileges only when needed and only for the duration required. When a vendor needs access, CyberArk provisions ephemeral entitlements based on policy, identity verification, and approval workflows. The vendor completes their work in an isolated, recorded session. When finished, access is automatically revoked without manual intervention. JIT eliminates the security risk of standing accounts while accelerating vendor productivity.
Yes. CyberArk supports secure offline access for vendors working in air-gapped, OT, or ICS environments where network connectivity isn’t available. Authorized vendors receive credentials through a secure process with full audit trails documenting credential usage. This ensures operational continuity in disconnected environments while maintaining the visibility and compliance controls security teams require.
CyberArk Vendor PAM provides complete session isolation, real-time monitoring, and searchable recordings of all third-party activity. Automated access reviews and just-in-time provisioning create documented evidence of least-privilege controls. These capabilities map directly to regulatory requirements including SOX, HIPAA, PCI DSS, NIS2, and DORA. Security teams can generate compliance reports quickly, reducing audit preparation time and eliminating evidence gaps.
CyberArk Vendor PAM uses biometric multi-factor authentication to verify vendor identities before each session. This phishing-resistant approach ensures only authorized users can access critical systems, without passwords that can be stolen or shared. Vendors enroll using their mobile device and authenticate with biometrics each time they connect, providing strong identity assurance while delivering a seamless user experience.
Every vendor session is isolated and monitored in real time. CyberArk records all activity with indexed, searchable session logs and full video playback capabilities. Security teams can review vendor actions, investigate incidents, and generate audit evidence without piecing together data from multiple tools. Threat detection capabilities can identify suspicious behavior during sessions, enabling rapid response to potential compromise.
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