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Rollout: Cyber-Ark's Enterprise Password Vault

Posted by Jordan Wiens on December 1, 2006

Tags: Jordan Wiens,  encryption,  password management,  password security,  passwords,  security products,  software review,  Administration,  Authentication,  Client/Server Protection,  Data Protection,  Other,  Security and Privacy

Channel: Data Protection, Other

The Upshot Enterprise Password Vault takes away the burden of tracking and changing passwords from devices and services throughout the enterprise. It doesn't try to replace ID management, but meets a specific need. Few products manage such deeply buried credentials as the passwords Web apps use to access databases. EPV doesn't eliminate all the pain associated with managing non-user-based-passwords. You still need to adjust the product for your apps and devices. Nevertheless, EPV's ability to store and manage these critical credentials increases security and usability. Enterprise Password Vault

Do you know where your passwords are? What about the passwords that protect the Web server's SSL key or allow access to the database that hosts the applications data? If you're just storing those words in a filing cabinet or encrypting them with a master password, your systems are at risk. Cyber-Ark's Enterprise Password Vault (EPV) tracks the passwords and credentials used between services and devices--including those that can't be integrated into Active Directory, LDAP or other authentication systems.

Cyber-Ark's EPV stores credentials on a secured server, offering a robust system for granting access and providing a component to change passwords for you. Although EPV has some competition from Cloakware's Server Password Manager, e-DMZ Security's Password Auto Repository and Symark's PowerKeeper, it compares well to them.

Four-Piece Orchestra

EPV comprises the Vault Server for password storage; a CPM (Central Password Manager) that changes passwords on other devices; a Windows client that manages the Vault Server and access credentials; and an end-user Web application that gives quick access to credentials.

We installed the Vault Server on a Windows 2003 SP1 Dual Xeon 3.0 with 3 GB of RAM. An identical server running Ubuntu Linux and VMWare Server was loaded with Windows Server 2003 SP1, and the Web interface, client and CPM. Setup was quick and painless. The included documentation wasn't even necessary, as each step of the installation is straightforward.