Case Study 002
CPM Strategy: Access Management Optimization for a Tier-Two Financial Institution
Client
Tier-Two Financial Institution
Size
2,500+ employees, 1500 branches nationwide
Duration
Feb 2025 - April 2025
Location
Lagos, Nigeria
Client Overview
A tier-two financial institution needed to optimize their privileged access management infrastructure to enhance security and streamline operations. We deployed a comprehensive Licensed Proxy Manager (LPM) solution to address critical security gaps and establish robust privileged account governance.
Business Challenge
The institution faced significant privileged access management challenges:
- Lack of centralized control over privileged accounts across 1500+ branches
- Manual and inconsistent privileged access provisioning processes
- Limited visibility into privileged account usage and activities
- Compliance gaps related to privileged access monitoring and audit requirements
- Security risks from unmanaged and shared privileged credentials
- Inefficient workflows for privileged access requests and approvals
Security Risks
- Unauthorized access to critical systems through compromised privileged accounts
- Insider threats from inadequate privileged access controls
- Compliance violations due to insufficient audit trails
- Security breaches from lateral movement using privileged credentials
- Operational inefficiencies from manual access management processes
- Risk of privilege escalation attacks
The Solution
We implemented a comprehensive Licensed Proxy Manager (LPM) solution with enterprise-grade capabilities:
Discovery & Assessment (Week 1-3)
- Conducted comprehensive privileged account inventory across all systems
- Identified 3,000+ privileged accounts requiring management
- Mapped privileged access workflows and approval processes
- Assessed compliance requirements for privileged access monitoring
- Evaluated existing PAM tools and identified integration requirements
Deployment & Configuration (Week 4-10)
- Deployed Licensed Proxy Manager (LPM) infrastructure with high availability
- Configured secure password vaults for privileged credential storage
- Implemented automated password rotation policies
- Integrated with Active Directory and identity management systems
- Configured privileged session monitoring and recording
- Established role-based access controls (RBAC) for privileged accounts
Testing & Optimization (Week 11-12)
- Validated LPM functionality across all use cases
- Tested automated workflows and approval processes
- Conducted user acceptance testing with IT and security teams
- Optimized performance and scalability
- Trained administrators and end users on LPM capabilities
Implementation Highlights
Discovery & Assessment (Week 1-3)
Comprehensive privileged account discovery and analysis
- Identified 3,000+ privileged accounts across Windows, Linux, databases, and applications
- Discovered 500+ orphaned and unused privileged accounts for decommissioning
- Mapped privileged access patterns and usage across business units
- Documented compliance requirements for CBN and ISO 27001
- Created detailed implementation roadmap with risk-based prioritization
Deployment & Configuration (Week 4-10)
Phased LPM rollout with minimal business disruption
- Deployed LPM infrastructure with N+1 redundancy for high availability
- Onboarded 2,500+ privileged accounts into secure password vaults
- Configured automated password rotation for 95% of managed accounts
- Implemented just-in-time (JIT) privileged access for administrative tasks
- Integrated with existing SIEM for real-time monitoring and alerting
- Deployed privileged session recording for compliance and forensics
Testing & Optimization (Week 11-12)
Comprehensive validation and performance optimization
- Validated privileged access workflows with zero business disruption
- Tested disaster recovery and failover procedures
- Optimized database performance for 10,000+ concurrent sessions
- Conducted security assessments and penetration testing
- Trained 100+ IT staff and administrators on LPM operations
The Results
Measurable Outcomes
Enhanced Server Communication: Improved communication between CPM and target servers
100% of privileged accounts under centralized management
Automated password rotation for 95% of privileged credentials
Complete audit trail for all privileged sessions
Zero privileged account-related security incidents
Privileged access request fulfillment time reduced by 75%
Mean time to provision privileged access reduced from 2 days to 30 minutes
Key Improvements
- Compliance Achievements: Achieved full compliance with CBN cybersecurity framework
- Met ISO 27001 privileged access management requirements
- Established comprehensive audit capabilities for regulatory reporting
- Implemented controls meeting SOX and PCI DSS requirements
Operational Efficiency
- Operational Efficiency: 80% reduction in privileged access-related support tickets
- Automated 90% of routine PAM administrative tasks
- Streamlined privileged access request and approval workflows
- Reduced manual password management overhead by 95%
Team Enablement
- Team Enablement: Trained 100+ IT staff on privileged access best practices
- Established in-house PAM operations and governance
- Created comprehensive PAM documentation and procedures
- Built sustainable privileged access management program
"The implementation of the Licensed Proxy Manager transformed our approach to privileged access security. We now have complete visibility and control over all privileged accounts, with automated workflows that have dramatically improved both security and operational efficiency. The team's expertise in PAM best practices was invaluable."
Cybersecurity Engineering Team
Tier-Two Financial Institution
Technologies Deployed
Licensed Proxy Manager (LPM)
CyberArk Privileged Access Security
Active Directory Integration
SIEM Integration for Monitoring
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Privileged Session Management
Automated Password Rotation
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)