CyberArk vs Thycotic | Comparing PAM solutions (2024)

CyberArk and Thycotic(now known as Delinea) are two prominent cybersecurity companies that provide Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions to organizations worldwide. Both CyberArk and Thycotic offer robust PAM solutions that help organizations secure their critical systems and sensitive data by managing and monitoring privileged access.

However, when it comes to choosing between CyberArk vs Thycotic, organizations need to evaluate several factors such as pricing, features, scalability, and ease of use to determine which solution best fits their unique requirements. In this context, it is essential to understand the differences between CyberArk and Thycotic and how each platform can help organizations strengthen their cybersecurity posture.

What is Thycotic?

Thycotic is a cybersecurity company that provides PAM solutions. Thycotic’s PAM solution offers features like password management, access control, and session recording to help organizations enforce the least privilege policies and reduce the risk of data breaches.

The PAM platform supports cloud, hybrid, and on-premises environments, allowing organizations to manage and monitor privileged access across their entire IT infrastructure.

Uses of Thycotic

Thycotic's PAM solution is used by organizations to enhance their cybersecurity posture and protect their most valuable assets. Here are a few ways Thycotic is used:

1. Securely manage privileged access: Thycotic's PAM solution allows organizations to manage and monitor privileged access to critical systems and data, ensuring that only authorized users can access sensitive information.

2. Enforce the least privilege policies: Thycotic helps organizations enforce least privilege policies by granting users the minimum level of access required to perform their tasks.

3. Reduce the risk of data breaches: Thycotic's PAM solution helps organizations reduce the risk of data breaches by controlling and monitoring privileged access to sensitive information.

4. Simplify password management: Thycotic's password management capabilities enable organizations to securely store, manage, and rotate privileged account passwords, reducing the risk of unauthorized access to critical systems and data.

5. Streamline compliance: Thycotic's PAM solution helps organizations meet regulatory compliance requirements by providing detailed audit trails and reports, and ensuring that all privileged access is fully documented and controlled.

Thycotic Architecture

To accommodate the requirements of companies of various sizes, Thycotic's PAM solution is built with a flexible and scalable architecture. The following essential elements make up Thycotic's architecture:

1. Secret Server:

The central management and control of privileged access to important systems and data is provided by Thycotic's primary PAM solution, Secret Server. Secret Server can be deployed on-premises, in the cloud, or in a hybrid environment, giving businesses the option to select the deployment strategy that best suits their requirements.

2. Secret Server Vaults:

Secret Server Vaults are safe places to keep sensitive information like certificates and privileged access information. Based on organisational requirements and policies, vaults can be constructed and configured.

3. Secret Server Agents:

Secret Server Agents are small, lightweight software agents that offer seamless endpoint and application interaction. Agents give businesses the ability to centrally monitor and regulate privileged access to systems and data.

4. Secret Server Mobile:

It is a mobile app that enables for safe remote access to sensitive information from any location at any time. With encryption and multi-factor authentication to safeguard private information, the mobile app was created with security in mind.

The architecture of Thycotic is created to offer businesses a complete and adaptable PAM solution that enables them to secure privileged access and lower the risk of data breaches.

Pros and Cons of Thycotic

Pros:

1. Comprehensive PAM Solutions: Thycotic offers a wide range of PAM solutions that can help organizations manage privileged access to critical systems and data. This can help improve security and compliance posture.

2. User-friendly Interface: Thycotic’s solutions are designed to be user-friendly, with an intuitive interface that can help simplify the process of managing privileged access.

3. Integration with other security tools: Thycotic’s solutions can integrate with other security tools, such as SIEM and vulnerability scanners, to provide a more complete security ecosystem.

4. Cloud-based options: Thycotic offers cloud-based solutions that can be deployed quickly and can be easily scaled up or down based on the needs of the organization.

Cons:

1. Cost: Thycotic’s solutions can be expensive, especially for smaller organizations. The cost may also increase as more features and functionality are added.

2. Complexity: While Thycotic’s solutions are designed to be user-friendly, the complexity of PAM can still make it difficult for some organizations to implement and manage the solutions effectively.

3. Customization Limitations: Thycotic's solutions may not be as customizable as some organizations may need. This could be a disadvantage for larger organizations that require more tailored solutions.

4. Support limitations: Some users have reported issues with Thycotic's support team, including long wait times and difficulty resolving issues. This could be a concern for organizations that require timely support.

What is CyberArk?

CyberArk is a leading provider of PAM solutions, founded in 1999, that helps organizations secure and manage privileged access to critical systems and data. CyberArk's PAM solution offers a range of features like password management, access control, session monitoring, and threat analytics. It is available for both on-premises and cloud deployments and supports various platforms and technologies, including Windows, Linux, and cloud environments like AWS and Azure.

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Uses of CyberArk

Here are a few ways organizations can use CyberArk's PAM solution:

1. Secure privileged accounts: CyberArk can help organizations secure and manage privileged accounts, such as domain admin accounts, by enforcing strong password policies, limiting access, and monitoring activity.

2. Enforce least privilege: CyberArk can help organizations enforce least privilege policies by granting users only the access they need to perform their jobs, and by automatically revoking access when it's no longer needed.

3. Monitor and record sessions: CyberArk can help organizations monitor and record privileged sessions, providing an audit trail of all activity, and helping to detect and respond to any suspicious or unauthorized activity.

4. Manage credentials for third-party access: CyberArk can help organizations manage privileged access for third-party vendors or contractors, ensuring that they have access only to the resources they need to perform their work.

5. Integrate with other security and IT tools: CyberArk can be integrated with other security and IT tools, such as SIEM and IAM solutions, to provide a more comprehensive security posture and improve overall visibility and control.

Pros and Cons of CyberArk

Pros

1. PAM capabilities of all kinds: CyberArk provides a full range of PAM features, such as password management, access control, session monitoring, and threat analytics.

2. Scalability: Supporting a variety of platforms and technologies, CyberArk can scale to meet the requirements of big and complex IT environments.

3. Flexibility: CyberArk may be set up either on-site or in the cloud, allowing businesses to select the setup that best suits their requirements.

4. Strong security features: Multi-factor authentication, encryption, and ongoing monitoring are among the strong security features provided by CyberArk.

5. Integration with other security and IT products: By integrating CyberArk with other security and IT technologies, overall visibility and control are improved.

Cons

1. Complexity: CyberArk's comprehensive feature set can make the solution complex and challenging to configure and manage.

2. Cost: CyberArk can be expensive, and the total cost of ownership can be a consideration for some organizations.

3. Learning curve: Due to its complexity, there can be a significant learning curve to effectively use and manage the solution.

4. Resource-intensive: Implementing and managing CyberArk can require dedicated resources, including staff and infrastructure.

5. Limited reporting: CyberArk's reporting capabilities are limited and may not meet the needs of some organizations.

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Comparison of CyberArk vs Thycotic Features

CyberArk and Thycotic are two of the leading providers of PAM solutions, offering comprehensive platforms to help organizations manage and secure privileged access to critical systems and data. While both solutions offer similar capabilities, there are some key differences in their features and functionality.

Here are a few points of comparison between CyberArk and Thycotic:

1. Password Management: Both CyberArk and Thycotic offer strong password management capabilities, including password rotation and generation. However, CyberArk offers more advanced features like secure password vaulting and automatic password synchronization.

2. Access Control: CyberArk and Thycotic both offer access control features to enforce least privilege policies and limit access to sensitive data. However, CyberArk's solution offers more granular control over access and can integrate with more third-party solutions.

3. Session Monitoring: Both solutions offer session monitoring capabilities to track and record privileged user activity. However, CyberArk's platform provides more advanced session management and monitoring features, including video recording and real-time alerts.

4. Cloud Support: Thycotic's PAM solution provides extensive support for cloud environments, including AWS and Azure, while CyberArk has traditionally been stronger in on-premises and hybrid environments. However, CyberArk has been expanding its cloud offerings in recent years.

Overall, both CyberArk and Thycotic offer robust PAM solutions with similar capabilities, but there are some differences in their features and functionality that organizations should consider when evaluating these solutions.

Choosing between CyberArk vs Thycotic for the best fit

Organizations may find it challenging to decide between CyberArk and Thycotic for PAM, as both solutions provide full PAM capabilities with comparable features and functionality. Organizations should weigh a variety of variables when comparing these solutions to decide which one best suits their requirements.

Consider the following when deciding between CyberArk and Thycotic:

1. Deployment: Organizations should think about whether they require an on-premises, cloud, or hybrid deployment and assess the capabilities and support of each solution for their preferred deployment type.

2. Scalability: Businesses should think about how sophisticated and large their IT infrastructure is and whether each solution can grow to meet their demands.

3. Integration: Businesses should assess how well each solution integrates with existing security and IT solutions as well as how well it supports third-party integrations.

4. Security: Businesses should assess the features and capabilities of each solution's security, including multi-factor authentication, encryption, and continuous monitoring.

5. Cost: Businesses should take into account each solution's total cost of ownership, which includes licence fees, maintenance charges, and installation costs.

Overall, selecting between CyberArk and Thycotic necessitates a close examination of the capabilities, features, and costs of each solution as well as a determination of the organization's unique objectives and requirements.

Conclusion:

In summary, choosing between CyberArk and Thycotic (Delinea) for PAM solutions depends on several factors such as the organization's size, complexity, security needs, and budget. CyberArk provides comprehensive PAM capabilities, scalability, and flexibility, but can be complex and resource-intensive, while Thycotic's solution is more user-friendly but may have limitations in terms of scalability and integrations. Ultimately, it's important to evaluate both options to determine which one best fits the organization's needs.

For an in-depth understanding of CyberArk, Click on

• CyberArk Components
  
• CyberArk Tutorial
  
• Splunk Add-on for CyberArk
  
• Configure the CyberArk vault