Today's password managers are based on the latest technologies. The protection of sensitive data, i.e. security, ease-of-use and comprehensive, up-to-date expertise, with a platform that covers as many essential functions as possible, is at the forefront in both the private and corporate environments. For the private sector, the market also offers free or low-cost password managers with functionalities that meet private needs.

Enterprise and team password managers, on the other hand, typically have higher performance and feature requirements. The range of sensitive corporate data is expanding to include business plans, balance sheets, financial transactions, trade secrets, sensitive employee and customer data, as well as email inboxes and administrative accounts for all corporate communications. This also means that damage must be avoided not only to the company itself, but also to all institutions that have a business relationship with the company.

The secure and confidential handling of sensitive data and passwords is therefore not an end in itself, but a necessary active protection and a corporate contribution to meeting legal compliance requirements. 

When choosing a product, business decision-makers should focus on the add-ons and additional features required by the business that characterise an advanced and powerful password manager.

Centralised role and user management is essential for organisations. Password sharing between different users and user groups, flexible folder management and excellent change management are standard. The allocation of access rights can be controlled on a group or role basis, in parallel with the employee authorisation structure. It is possible to explicitly define who has access to which passwords. The folder management feature allows users to create a clear and flexible folder structure.

The following additional business-focused features make it the most powerful and advanced password manager for today's enterprise:

• Configurable access and security policies, such as setting minimum security requirements for different password types or ranges.
• Increased access security and use of VPN (Virtual Private Network) access restrictions.
• Dark web monitoring, which automatically checks if a login or password has been disclosed in the event of a data breach.
• Customisable user interface to reflect corporate identity.
• Support for SSO (single sign-on) to use a centralised access system for different corporate tools.
• Active Directory integration (enables and protects network access, especially against unauthorised access).
• An activity log that allows the administrator to trace the cause of an incident and quickly identify the person responsible.
• The ability to integrate the product into the corporate infrastructure. Either partially (e.g. by outsourcing databases) or fully via an on-premises solution, which allows the software to be hosted on the company's own servers.
• Automated in-house backups to ensure that an up-to-date copy of a data base is stored securely in the event of a disaster.

How can organisations increase their password management flexibility by integrating Microsoft Active Directory and Entra ID?

By implementing Active Directory (AD, a service developed by Microsoft), the company benefits from granular user access to organisational services and files. This is based on user roles and groups, and simplified sign-on with a single set of credentials per user and the resources granted to them. This increases administrative efficiency and scalability.

Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Microsoft Azure Active Directory) provides a robust cloud identity and access management solution that enables single sign-on to Microsoft and non-Microsoft services.

Find out more about how you can extend the functionality of a powerful password manager and seamlessly integrate it with your corporate identity and access management system in our article. 

The larger the organisation and the more complex its structure, the greater the need to keep pace with new password technologies and data protection requirements. 

Critical information such as logins and passwords, bank accounts and cards, access to servers, etc. require an appropriate level of protection. The modern business categorically excludes all risks that could lead to data breaches and major financial losses. Flexible and powerful business password management tools with numerous add-ons and additional functions are currently available on the market for companies in a low-cost subscription version.

With over two decades of experience in SAP consulting, implementation and configuration, and cyber security, our team provides the indispensable Pass4SAP connector. With a connector that seamlessly integrates the proven password manager PassSecurium™ into the SAP system, the entire password scenario and cyber security can also be optimised company-wide for SAP companies. Employees no longer need to be familiar with another IT system or tool, as all password-related applications can be accessed from the familiar SAP environment.

Don't leave your company's sensitive data unprotected! Our IT security experts will be happy to help you close any gaps in this area. Don’t hesitate to contact us by phone or via the website contact form.