Best Way to Secure a Shared Backup Account?
Short answer
D PAM
Question
Key Takeaways
This question tests the ability to select the appropriate control for privileged shared accounts, avoiding the trap of choosing SAML (an SSO protocol) over PAM (the management solution).
Privileged Access Management (PAM) is the optimal solution for securing shared backup accounts, especially during Single Sign-On (SSO) failures. Consensus confirms PAM provides essential auditing, credential rotation, and access control for privileged accounts.
Common mistake: Selecting SAML is a common mistake because it relates to SSO, but it is the protocol that failed, whereas PAM is the specific tool designed to secure the account itself.
Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
PAM (Privileged Access Management) is the correct choice because it is specifically designed to secure, monitor, and manage privileged accounts like shared backup credentials. It provides features such as credential vaulting, automatic rotation, and session recording, which ensure the account remains secure even if the primary SSO mechanism is down. This centralized control prevents unauthorized access and maintains an audit trail.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
RAS (Remote Access Service) is an obsolete technology primarily associated with dial-up networking and does not provide account management security. EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) is a framework for authentication transport (often used in Wi-Fi), not a system for managing shared account privileges. SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) is the protocol used for SSO; since the question states there is an SSO failure, SAML is part of the problem context, not the solution for securing the account independently.
Community Comment Notes
Community members unanimously support PAM, emphasizing its role in enforcing strict access controls and auditing for shared accounts. Several comments noted that PAM allows for the enforcement of strong authentication and temporary access grants, which mitigates the risks associated with shared credentials. Users also referenced industry-standard tools like CyberArk and Azure AD PIM to illustrate the practical application of PAM in such scenarios.
Official Reference
- https://www.nist.gov/cyberframework
- https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/understanding-and-addressing-risks-privileged-accounts
These links open the official vendor documentation in a new tab.
Exam Strategy
Look for keywords like "shared," "backup," or "privileged" to immediately identify the need for PAM. Remember that PAM is the specific security control for high-risk accounts, distinct from general authentication protocols.
Community Votes
100% of anonymous learners picked answer D. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Discussion 5 contributions
Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.
From public community threads 5
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Segunmx 👍 4 Answered DD. PAM (Privileged Access Management) Explanation: PAM (Privileged Access Management) is a security solution designed to manage and control access to privileged accounts, such as shared accounts for administrative purposes or critical systems like a source code repository.
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AriGarcia 👍 2 Answered DPAM solutions are designed to manage and secure privileged accounts, such as the shared backup account. It ensures: Strict control over access to shared accounts. Auditing and monitoring of access activities. Enforcement of strong authentication mechanisms, even in the absence of SSO functionality. Temporary access and rotation of account credentials to reduce the risk of unauthorized use.
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Anyio 👍 1 Answered DThe correct answer is: D. PAM (Privileged Access Management) Explanation: Privileged Access Management (PAM) is the best approach to securing a shared backup account. PAM helps enforce security practices like access controls, session monitoring, and audit logs for privileged accounts. In the event of an SSO failure, PAM can secure and manage access to the shared account, ensuring only authorized users can access the backup account. Other Options: A. RAS (Remote Access Service): This provides remote access functionality but does not offer the specific access control and management needed for securing a shared account. B. EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol): A framework used for network authentication, not for managing privileged accounts. C. SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language): Used for Single Sign-On (SSO) and federated authentication, but it does not directly secure a shared backup account in case of SSO failure.
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ProudFather 👍 1 Answered DA Privileged Access Management (PAM) solution is the best way to secure the backup account. It provides a centralized platform to manage and control access to privileged accounts, such as the shared backup account. PAM can enforce strong authentication methods, such as multi-factor authentication, and monitor user activity to detect suspicious behavior.
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9149f41 👍 1 Answered Dpopular PAM tools: 1. Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) Privileged Identity Management (PIM) as part of its Microsoft Entra suite 2. Keeper 3. CyberArk, 4. BeyondTrust 5. Thycotic (now part of Delinea)
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