Why traditional PAM fails in the cloud—and what to do instead

Privileged access to the cloud is one of the most exploited attack vectors today, exposing organizations to breaches despite investments in traditional Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions. The shared responsibility model of cloud security shifts the burden of access control onto cloud customers, yet conventional PAM approaches struggle to meet modern security demands.

A new white paper from SGNL, “Privileged Access for the Cloud: Why PAM Fails You,” explores these challenges and introduces a more effective way to secure cloud environments. Here’s a preview of the key insights:

Why PAM falls short in the cloud

PAM solutions were designed for on-premises environments, where network perimeters were well-defined, and privileged access could be controlled with static rules and manual approvals. However, cloud services operate differently:

• Scale & complexity: Organizations use a vast number of cloud services (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS), each requiring different types of privileged access.
• Excessive permissions: Traditional PAM often grants broad, persistent admin access, increasing the attack surface.
• Manual workflows: PAM relies on approval workflows that are slow, error-prone, and susceptible to social engineering.
• Lack of real-time enforcement: Once access is granted, it remains in place regardless of changes in user status, device security, or threat intelligence.

These limitations make it nearly impossible to enforce Zero Trust security in cloud environments, where access must be evaluated continuously and adjusted dynamically.

The case for continuous identity-first security

SGNL’s white paper argues that organizations must move beyond PAM and adopt Modern Privileged Identity Management (MPIM)—a continuous, identity-first approach to securing privileged access. Instead of relying on manual approvals and static roles, MPIM:

• Uses real-time signals from HR systems, ticketing platforms, and device management tools to assess access needs dynamically.
• Eliminates standing privileges, ensuring that users only get access when they need it and lose it immediately when conditions change.
• Integrates with cloud-native IAM, leveraging each cloud service’s built-in security features rather than forcing a separate access model.
• Supports Continuous Access Evaluation (CAEP), enabling real-time session termination and policy enforcement when security conditions shift.

A smarter approach to cloud privileged access

The failures of traditional PAM don’t mean organizations should abandon privileged access security—instead, they must evolve their approach. SGNL’s MPIM model provides a scalable, automated, and fine-grained access control system that aligns with modern cloud security needs.

Read the full white paper to learn how SGNL’s approach can reduce risk, improve operational efficiency, and bring true Zero Trust to your cloud environments.