Key Insights
- Privilege misuse, not technical exploits, drives the majority of endpoint breaches.
- Identity is the new perimeter; endpoint privileges are the “crown jewels” for lateral movement.
- EPM provides granular control over how and when privileges are used at runtime.
The 6 Primary Privilege Attack Vectors
Adversaries depend on excessive permissions and administrative blind spots to advance their objectives. Common techniques include:
Exploiting vulnerabilities to move from standard user status to full administrator access.
Extracting credentials from memory (e.g., Mimikatz) to impersonate users across systems.
Abusing trusted system tools like PowerShell and WMI to perform malicious actions undetected.
Inheriting unrestricted control over security settings and sensitive data via compromised admin accounts.
Executing malicious code directly in memory with elevated rights to evade disk-based forensics.
Leveraging trusted application contexts to bypass security controls with modified binaries.
Mitigation Powered by Segura® EPM
Segura® EPM aligns with Zero Trust principles to ensure every privileged action is validated and monitored.
| Mitigation Vector | Segura® EPM Capability | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Local Admin Rights | Eliminates permanent admin status; converts access to monitored elevation requests. | Drastic reduction in the attack surface for ransomware. |
| JIT Elevation | Grants temporary privileges for specific tasks that automatically expire. | Neutralizes sustained privilege availability for attackers. |
| Application Control | Dynamic allowlisting prevents unauthorized scripts and binaries from running with rights. | Stops LotL techniques and DLL sideloading. |
| SOC Visibility | Real-time telemetry on elevation attempts and anomalous patterns sent to SIEM/XDR. | Converts privilege misuse into a high-fidelity detection signal. |
Securing the Machine Identity
Often overlooked, service accounts and machine identities are common vectors for persistence. Segura® applies least privilege to daemons and automation tools, preventing machine tokens from being leveraged for lateral movement.
Conclusion
In a hybrid, SaaS-dominated environment, traditional EPP and antivirus are insufficient. Segura® Endpoint Privilege Management serves as a critical defensive layer by transforming privilege from a vulnerability into a controlled, auditable, and resilient security asset.
Explore Segura® EPM
Reduce local admin risk and support Zero Trust without disrupting operations.
About Segura®
Segura® strive to ensure the sovereignty of companies over actions and privileged information. To this end, we work against data theft through traceability of administrator actions on networks, servers, databases and a multitude of devices. In addition, we pursue compliance with auditing requirements and the most demanding standards, including PCI DSS, Sarbanes-Oxley, ISO 27001 and HIPAA.
About Version 2 Limited
Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.
Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.