Elevated Access Done Right: How Pathlock Ensures Security and Streamlines Audits

In moments of urgency, organizations often face a difficult balancing act: granting rapid access for critical tasks while ensuring that security and compliance remain intact. Traditional systems, like SAP Access Control, offer basic functionality for temporary access, but they frequently lack the flexibility and depth needed to handle complex emergency access scenarios effectively. Pathlock steps in with a comprehensive, streamlined solution that automates emergency access requests and integrates audit-friendly features. Let’s explore how Pathlock’s Elevated Access Management module helps maintain a secure, efficient, and compliant environment, even in critical situations.

The Limits of Traditional Emergency Access Approaches

Most organizations adhere to a least-privilege or zero-trust model, granting users only the access necessary for their roles. Sensitive or elevated access is typically limited to select individuals and allowed only when absolutely necessary. SAP Access Control, for example, enables temporary sensitive access requests that can be checked in and out as needed, helping to ensure access is both controlled and temporary. However, this approach has two major shortcomings:

1. Limited Support for Non-SAP Systems: In non-ABAP SAP systems, SAP Access Control cannot automate emergency access, leading to time-consuming, error-prone manual processes for access requests, approvals, and documentation.
2. Inefficient Audit Logs for SAP Systems: In SAP ABAP environments, change logs generated for reviews are often cumbersome, lengthy, and difficult to interpret, making it challenging for reviewers to verify activities fully.

These limitations make it hard for organizations to achieve secure, time-bound access across diverse applications while maintaining clear, reliable audit trails.

How Pathlock Elevates Emergency Access Management

Pathlock’s Elevated Access Management module is designed to provide fast, controlled access in emergency situations, whether for SAP or non-SAP applications. Here’s how Pathlock’s solution works:

• Automated Workflows for Speed and Security: Pathlock automates the entire access request process, from submission and approval to assignment and deprovisioning. Users can request temporary access, receive prompt approval, and utilize access within a predefined period before it’s automatically revoked, reducing both risk and manual effort.
• Comprehensive Coverage Across Applications: Pathlock extends emergency access capabilities beyond SAP to systems like SAP Ariba, Salesforce, and PeopleSoft. This flexibility allows organizations to apply the same secure and compliant access protocols across a wide range of critical applications.
• Clear and Reviewable Audit Trails: Pathlock generates concise, organized logs that make it easier for reviewers to track and understand the activities performed under elevated access. By simplifying audit logs, Pathlock enables users to efficiently verify compliance without wading through overwhelming data.

Ensuring Compliance Through Detailed, Accessible Audit Trails

A key component of Pathlock’s Elevated Access Management module is its robust audit functionality. Pathlock maintains a transparent, end-to-end trail of elevated access activities, ensuring that every approval, action, and log review is documented clearly. This means organizations can confidently demonstrate compliance with internal policies and external regulations, even in emergency scenarios. With Pathlock, audits become simpler, as all actions are logged in a review-friendly format that auditors can quickly verify, streamlining audit preparation and review.

Maintaining Compliance and Efficiency in Critical Situations

Pathlock’s solution offers a seamless way for organizations to maintain compliance without sacrificing speed or security. By providing clear workflows, cross-application support, and easy-to-interpret audit logs, Pathlock empowers organizations to meet critical operational needs efficiently while safeguarding sensitive access. In scenarios ranging from unexpected staffing needs to infrequent yet essential year-end tasks, Pathlock’s Elevated Access Management module ensures that emergency access is both secure and compliant.

Pathlock: Simplifying Security Without Compromising on Control

With Pathlock’s Elevated Access Management, organizations no longer have to choose between efficiency and compliance when responding to urgent access needs. Pathlock ensures that sensitive access is controlled, tracked, and documented at every step, helping businesses stay secure and audit-ready—even under pressure.

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