Managing Privileged User Accounts In PeopleSoft

Organizations that use PeopleSoft manage thousands of users. Most of these users have limited roles that only allow them to perform job-related tasks. But there is a subset of users who have been granted access to perform specific actions or access certain information that is restricted to other users. These actions or information may include sensitive data, system configuration, or other privileged tasks. Privileged users typically have more elevated access and permissions than regular users. And they are often responsible for maintaining and administering the PeopleSoft system.

From an operations point of view, these roles are essential for the functioning of the application to support the business. However, from a security perspective, the level of authorization and access granted to these privileged user accounts increases the overall risk exponentially. 

How Privileged User Accounts Impact Security & Compliance

Impact on Security

Privileged users have a high level of access which means they will always be a target for attackers. If these accounts are compromised, it will lead to attackers gaining the same level of access. Once inside, attackers can move from system to system undetected without leaving any digital footprint, making it harder to detect and stop. In addition, the attackers could gain access to an organization’s confidential and sensitive data. 

Companies may have the necessary security to prevent external threats, but privileged users are already inside the system. They can delete or modify data, create backdoors, override security settings, and more without detection. This makes managing and monitoring privileged user sessions critical for security and compliance.

Impact on Compliance

Privileged users are granted greater access so that they can maintain and update applications that are critical for business operations. They are also responsible for a range of functions that require access to multiple servers, modules, and/or databases. This also means adequate controls need to be in place if compliance mandates are to be met.

With the limited controls that PeopleSoft offers, organizations often find it challenging to manage their privileged users. Most PeopleSoft customers usually have a single admin account which hampers collaboration and productivity. This also results in PeopleSoft IT teams frequently using a shared PeopleSoft administrator account. Not only is this a security issue, but it also amounts to a compliance weakness, as auditors cannot determine who the actual user was. Also, there is no option for PeopleSoft security teams to monitor privileged user transactions to identify fraud, threats, or compliance violations.

Privileged Access Insights by Pathlock

Pathlock provides a comprehensive solution that provides access to, monitors, and controls privileged users through features like dynamic MFA at the field level, transaction monitoring, and activity logging. 

By closely monitoring privileged user sessions inside PeopleSoft and aligning activities to specific identities, you get a better understanding of who is accessing sensitive data, limit your risk exposure, and enhance team collaboration. And Pathlock lets you quickly identify and adjust over-privileged accounts from a single, centralized interface, reducing the burden on IT and application teams while increasing productivity.

If you want to learn more about managing your PeopleSoft privileged users, click here to download the Pathlock Privileged Access Insights for PeopleSoft Data Sheet.