Table of Contents
- Introduction: Why CyberArk Matters in 2025
- What Is CyberArk Used For?
- Is CyberArk an IAM Tool?
- Who Uses CyberArk?
- Is CyberArk Free to Use?
- Key Features of CyberArk
- How CyberArk Works: A Simplified Flow
- Top CyberArk Tools You Should Know
- CyberArk vs Competitors
- Future of CyberArk in a Zero Trust World
- Thoughts Final
- FAQs
What is Cyber Ark used for? Learn how this powerful IAM and PAM tool helps secure privileged accounts and why top enterprises rely on it. CyberArk
CyberArk
As cyberattacks become more sophisticated, privileged accounts have become one of the top targets for attackers. These accounts have administrative access and can do massive damage if compromised.
Enter CyberArk—a cybersecurity platform designed to secure privileged access, prevent internal misuse, and enforce zero trust architectures.
CyberArk
In this article, we’ll break down:
- What CyberArk is,
- Why it’s used,
- Who uses it, and
- Whether it’s free or not.
What Is CyberArk Used For?
CyberArk is used to manage, monitor, and secure privileged access across IT environments—including on-premises, hybrid, and cloud systems.
Real-World Uses of CyberArk:
- Storing passwords in a secure digital vault
- Rotating passwords automatically to prevent reuse
- Controlling who can access what and when
- Monitoring privileged sessions in real time
- Automatically alerting security teams of suspicious activity
Example:
A bank uses CyberArk to manage access to its core banking servers. Every time a system admin logs in, CyberArk records the session, verifies identity, and ensures credentials are never exposed.
Is CyberArk an IAM Tool?
Yes—but with a specialized focus.
While traditional IAM (Identity and Access Management) tools control general user access, CyberArk focuses on PAM (Privileged Access Management), a subset of IAM.
IAM vs PAM Table:
|
Feature |
IAM |
PAM (CyberArk) |
|
User types |
All users |
Privileged users only |
|
Access level |
General access |
Admin/root access |
|
Credential storage |
Basic credential storage |
Encrypted vault + password rotation |
|
Session monitoring |
Minimal or none |
Full session recording |
|
Risk level |
Moderate |
High |
Bottom Line: CyberArk is an IAM tool, but highly specialized for securing the most critical accounts in your network.
Who Uses CyberArk?
CyberArk is used by Fortune 500 companies, governments, banks, cloud-native startups, and even healthcare providers.
Industries that use CyberArk
- Finance (e.g., JPMorgan, Bank of America)
- Healthcare (e.g., Mayo Clinic)
- Government agencies
- Cloud providers (e.g., AWS-integrated enterprises)
- Manufacturing
- IT consulting firms
Why They Use It
- Compliance with standards like SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR
- Reducing insider threat risks
- Managing multi-cloud access controls
Is CyberArk Free to Use?
No, CyberArk is not free. It is a premium enterprise-grade solution. Pricing is customized based on:
- Number of privileged users
- Number of systems integrated
- Chosen modules (e.g., PAM Core, Endpoint Privilege Manager)
However, CyberArk does offer:
- Free demos
- Some open-source tools (like CyberArk Conjur for DevOps)
Key Features of CyberArk
Let’s explore the core capabilities that make CyberArk a leader in privileged security.
Top Features
- Digital Vault – Secure, encrypted password storage
- Automatic Credential Rotation – Prevents password reuse
- Session Recording – Watch and audit admin activity
- Access Control Policies – Role-based restrictions
- Threat Analytics – Real-time risk scoring
- DevOps Secrets Management – API key and token management for CI/CD pipelines
- Least Privilege Enforcement – Remove admin rights from endpoints
How CyberArk Works: A Simplified Flow
Workflow Example
- User Requests Access to a privileged system
- CyberArk Validates user identity
- One-Time Credential is generated
- Session is Monitored/Recorded
- Credential is Destroyed or Rotated
This reduces the attack surface and enforces a just-in-time access model.
Top CyberArk Tools You Should Know
|
Tool Name |
Purpose |
|
CyberArk Vault |
Secure credential storage |
|
CyberArk Central Policy Manager |
Policy enforcement engine |
|
CyberArk Privileged Session Manager |
Records user sessions with full playback |
|
CyberArk Endpoint Privilege Manager |
Controls local admin rights on devices |
|
CyberArk Conjur |
Open-source secrets management for DevOps |
CyberArk vs Competitors
Popular Alternatives
- BeyondTrust
- Thycotic (now Delinea)
- HashiCorp Vault
|
Feature |
CyberArk |
BeyondTrust |
HashiCorp Vault |
|
PAM Core |
✅ Yes |
✅ Yes |
❌ No |
|
Session Recording |
✅ Yes |
✅ Yes |
❌ No |
|
Open-source DevOps Secrets |
✅ (Conjur) |
❌ No |
✅ Yes |
|
Enterprise Integrations |
✅ Extensive |
✅ Medium |
✅ Good |
|
Cloud-Native Focus |
✅ Strong |
✅ Moderate |
✅ Excellent |
🔍 Verdict: CyberArk is best suited for large, security-conscious enterprises needing full lifecycle PAM + DevSecOps integration
Future of CyberArk in a Zero Trust World
Why CyberArk Aligns with Zero Trust:
- Verifies every privileged access attempt
- Enforces least privilege and time-based access
- Monitors for anomalies in real time
- Integrates with AI-based threat intelligence tools
Future Predictions:
- AI-Powered Risk Detection: Proactively block high-risk access
- Passwordless Privileged Access: Token-based or biometric
- Cloud-First Integration: Native modules for Azure, AWS, and GCP
- Increased Developer Adoption via Conjur open-source tools
Final Thoughts
CyberArk is not just a password vault—it’s a full-fledged privileged access security platform trusted by the world’s leading organizations. Whether you’re a CISO, DevOps engineer, or IT admin, securing privileged access should be a non-negotiable priority—and CyberArk makes it possible.
FAQs
Q1: Is CyberArk only for large enterprises?
No, while it’s mostly used by large companies, CyberArk offers scalable solutions for mid-sized organizations and cloud-native startups too.
Q2: What’s the difference between PAM and IAM?
IAM controls general user access; PAM (like CyberArk) secures high-level, privileged users like system admins.
Q3: Does CyberArk work with the cloud?
Yes. CyberArk integrates with AWS, Azure, GCP, and containerized environments like Kubernetes.
Q4: Can CyberArk detect insider threats?
Yes. It uses session monitoring, threat analytics, and policy enforcement to detect and mitigate insider risks.
Q5: Is CyberArk compliant with GDPR and HIPAA?
Absolutely. CyberArk supports audit logging, access restrictions, and encryption to meet compliance requirements.
