CyberArk vs BeyondTrust: Compare IAM solutions

It’s time to upgrade your IAM software, but which security tool should you choose? See how the features of CyberArk and BeyondTrust compare.

Choosing an identity and access management solution is no trivial task. CyberArk and BeyondTrust use best-in-class technologies to protect systems, manage passwords and otherwise control and protect the use of sensitive data.

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What is CyberArk?

CyberArk is an information security company that provides IAM, PAM and security solutions. These solutions prevent unauthorized access to essential systems, manage passwords and track the use of sensitive data.

Some key features offered by CyberArk include password vaulting, session monitoring, file integrity monitoring, secure remote access and threat detection.

What is BeyondTrust?

BeyondTrust is a security company that provides vulnerability management, privileged account management and data protection solutions. Its products aim to help organizations secure their systems and data from internal and external threats.

Some key features offered by BeyondTrust include asset discovery, vulnerability assessment, patch management, password and credential management, and privileged access control. They also offer solutions for cloud and virtual environments and mobile devices.

CyberArk vs. BeyondTrust head-to-head chart

Both CyberArk and BeyondTrust are powerful, highly rated systems trusted by users. Both will provide best-in-class IAM management and they have also both been labeled leaders within the industry by the Gartner Magic Quadrant.

CyberArk vs. BeyondTrust features

In general, CyberArk is account-focused, whereas BeyondTrust is asset-focused. This difference in philosophy represents two notably different security paradigms.

CyberArk’s account-focused approach relies on privileged access management, account user behavior and account privileges. For companies whose users carry accounts across multiple devices, CyberArk’s approach may be more appropriate. The agentless asset discovery can quickly identify all assets (including devices, operating systems and applications) within an organization’s network. CyberArk will recognize as accounts sign on to new systems or devices, to quickly manage access.

BeyondTrust’s asset-focused approach relies on environmental scanning to secure the organization’s digital assets. This platform, which supports remote access, offers agentless asset discovery to help organizations inventory their systems and understand where vulnerabilities may exist. BeyondTrust is asset-based—concerned with the security of individual assets.

Otherwise, both CyberArk and BeyondTrust have similar feature offerings and advantages. Which solution is best for your organization depends mainly on the assets you need to protect, the size of your organization and your organization’s potential security risks.

Simplicity and ease-of-use

For beginners, CyberArk has a substantial learning curve. Many small- to mid-sized organizations may find themselves hiring a professional to deploy the solution rather than deploying it internally. While documentation is available, it can be incomplete and inconsistent. A managed services provider may be needed for an organization to transition to CyberArk.

Comparatively, BeyondTrust’s solutions are fairly straightforward to use and deploy. BeyondTrust has a variety of features such as Smart Rules, Smart Groups and Direct Connect, all intended to make the overall user experience of BeyondTrust easier, thereby improving overall productivity.

Audience

Although CyberArk can theoretically manage up to 100,000 endpoints, the maximum implementation in the real world is 57,000. Nevertheless, CyberArk is more likely to be used by enterprise-level organizations, whereas BeyondTrust is more popular with small businesses and mid-market enterprises.

CyberArk’s features, functionality and complexity lend themselves better to an enterprise-level organization. Meanwhile, BeyondTrust’s simplicity, ease of use and painless deployment make it a better option for smaller companies and mid-sized organizations.

Interfaces

CyberArk’s web interface is wanting and the features and functions provided through the web interface are not always the same functions that are provided elsewhere—potentially leading to confusion, especially in terms of API configuration.

BeyondTrust provides a clean, attractive HTML5 interface, although some users find it lacking in more advanced features, such as group approval. While the BeyondTrust interface may not have as robust a feature set as CyberArk, it’s easier to use.

Choosing between CyberArk vs. BeyondTrust

CyberArk and BeyondTrust are fairly evenly matched IAM solutions that have a lot going for them. Today, BeyondTrust is the leading competitor within the field, but CyberArk is close behind.

Choose CyberArk if:

• You need a comprehensive IAM solution that can support on-premises, hybrid and cloud environments.
• You need an IAM solution with built-in privileged access management capabilities.
• You’re interested in an IAM solution that puts account management and account security first.
• You aren’t afraid of an IAM solution with complexity.

Choose BeyondTrust if:

• You need an IAM solution focusing on secure remote access and compliance with regulatory standards.
• You need an IAM solution with robust vulnerability assessment and patch management features.
• You’re interested in an IAM solution that puts asset management and asset security first.
• You need a solution fast and easy to deploy.

Ultimately, CyberArk and BeyondTrust are powerful IAM solutions that can help organizations manage their critical assets and protect against data breaches. When choosing between CyberArk and BeyondTrust, consider your organization’s needs, requirements and resources first.