Today, privileged access is just as likely to come from a machine as a human. Service accounts, API keys, SSH keys, certificates, workloads, scripts, CI/CD pipelines, robotic process automation, and AI agents all need access to sensitive systems. Many operate continuously. Many are overprivileged. Many lack clear ownership. And most were never designed to be governed like human users. 

AI agents raise the stakes even further. An agent may call tools, query databases, write code, trigger workflows, create tickets, modify infrastructure, or act on behalf of a user. That makes the AI agent a privileged actor, even when no person is sitting at a keyboard. 

This is where legacy PAM starts to show its age. Traditional PAM architectures were built for human-driven access. A person requests access, authenticates, opens a session, performs work, and logs out. That model does not map cleanly to service accounts, workloads, API keys, certificates, automation scripts, or AI agents that operate continuously and at machine speed. 

Securing machine identities requires a modern approach to PAM. Access must be scoped, time-bound, policy-driven, and fully auditable. Credentials should be protected in a vault, but they should not be handed directly to users, scripts, tools, or agents. Privileged actions should be brokered, monitored, and controlled through a consistent workflow across human and non-human identities. 

That is why the PAM market is evolving. Vendors are adding secrets management, machine identity security, cloud entitlement management, just-in-time access, and AI-agent controls. In many cases, those capabilities are being added through acquisitions or stitched together across multiple products. That can expand coverage, but it can also make deployment, licensing, integration, and daily operations more complex. 

A modern PAM strategy should not feel like a collection of loosely connected tools. It should give security teams one coherent way to control privileged access across humans, machines, and AI agents. 

In this guide, we compare the top PAM solutions for machine identities and AI agents, with a focus on how each platform secures privileged access, protects credentials, supports automation, and helps teams move beyond legacy PAM. 

What to Look When Evaluating PAM for Machine and AI Identities 

When evaluating PAM solutions for machine identities, security teams should look beyond password vaulting and session recording. 

• Credential non-disclosure: Can the platform broker access without exposing credentials to users, scripts, tools, or agents? 

• Machine identity and secrets coverage: Can it secure service accounts, API keys, certificates, SSH keys, tokens, workloads, and automation? 

• Just-in-time access and approvals: Can access be granted only when needed, then removed automatically? 

• Session recording and auditability: Can the platform show who or what accessed a system, what happened, and whether policy was followed? 

• Cloud, DevOps, and implementation fit: Can it support hybrid infrastructure, cloud platforms, databases, CI/CD, SaaS, and operational workflows without stitching together too many tools? 

A platform may check many boxes on paper. The real test is whether those capabilities work together as one modern PAM workflow. 

Comparison Chart: Top PAM Solutions for Machine Identities and AI Agents 

Solution	Best Fit	Machine Identity Support	AI Agent Support	PAM Depth	Key Strength	Main Limitation
12Port	Agentless PAM for humans, machines, vendors, automation, and AI agents	High	High	High	Brokered access without credential disclosure	Newer vendor with a shorter enterprise track record
Idira by Palo Alto Networks, built on CyberArk	Large enterprises standardizing identity security	High	High	High	Broad PAM, secrets, machine identity, and agentic identity platform	Cost, complexity, and post-acquisition platform clarity
Delinea	PAM plus runtime authorization for cloud, DevOps, and AI-driven environments	High	High	High	JIT authorization at the moment of action	Integration maturity across the combined portfolio
BeyondTrust	Enterprise PAM, remote privileged access, and endpoint privilege management	High	Medium-High	High	Identity visibility, JIT, secrets, and remote access	Breadth may require careful scoping
One Identity	Traditional PAM, session monitoring, UNIX/Linux controls, and compliance	Medium	Low-Medium	Medium-High	Strong session management and UNIX/Linux controls	Machine identity and AI-agent capabilities are still evolving
Saviynt	Identity governance, PAM, and cloud entitlement convergence	High	Medium-High	Medium	Governance, lifecycle management, and CIEM	Less depth in traditional PAM controls
ARCON	Feature-rich PAM with credential management and CIEM	Medium-High	Medium	High	Credential management, secrets, and policy-driven JIT	Regional presence and integration limitations
Segura	All-in-one PAM with discovery and credential lifecycle management	High	Medium	High	Discovery, machine identity, certificates, and DevOps secrets	JIT and remote privileged access should be validated
ManageEngine	Cost-conscious core PAM for IT teams	Medium	Emerging	Medium	PAM360, certificate management, and IT operations fit	Advanced AI-agent lifecycle support should be validated
Keeper Security	SaaS PAM, secrets management, and remote privileged access	Medium-High	Emerging	Medium	Secrets, workload access, and simpler deployment	Less complete enterprise PAM coverage than larger platforms

Top 10 PAM Solutions for Agentic AI and Machine Identities 

1. 12Port 

12Port Privileged Access Management takes an agentless, brokered-access approach to securing privileged access across human, machine, and AI identities. Instead of treating machine and AI access as a separate add-on, 12Port uses the same core PAM model across administrators, vendors, service accounts, scripts, automation, and AI agents. 

Privileged credentials and secrets are stored in the 12Port vault. Access is brokered through 12Port. Credentials are injected when needed and are not disclosed to the user, script, tool, or agent. This matters for machine and AI identities because the goal is not simply to store a password or API key. The goal is to control the privileged action without handing the credential to the identity performing it. 

For AI agents, 12Port supports an MCP server that lets agents broker privileged access through PAM under audit. Agents can request scoped access through the same broker, vault, approval workflow, and audit trail used for human users.  This 12Port video shows how to secure an AI agent using the 12Port Platform.  

12Port also includes AccessWall, a PAM-native enforcement layer that helps prevent bypass. AccessWall restricts direct administrative connections such as SSH, RDP, and WinRM so privileged sessions flow through 12Port or approved trusted systems. Even if a credential is valid or stolen, direct access outside the brokered path can be blocked. 

Key Differentiators 

• Brokers access for administrators, vendors, service accounts, automation, and AI agents without endpoint agents. 

• Stores privileged secrets in the vault and injects credentials only when needed. 

• Lets AI agents request scoped access through MCP, with approvals and audit trails. 

• Supports time-bound JIT access and human-in-the-loop approval for sensitive actions. 

• Uses AccessWall to help prevent direct SSH, RDP, and WinRM bypass. 

• Records sessions, commands, file transfers, events, and access context for audit. 

• Uses Session Intelligence to surface risky activity faster. 

• Combines vaulting, brokering, MFA, JIT, recording, AccessWall, and AI access control in one platform. 

• Fast, integrated deployment in one platform instead of stitching together separate tools.  

• Clear pricing tiers designed to scale without enterprise lock-in. Free Trial of 12Port is also available. 12Port is also available through Microsoft Marketplace 

2. Idira by Palo Alto Networks, built on CyberArk 

Palo Alto recently announced their new identity security platform, Idir which brings CyberArk’s PAM foundation into Palo Alto Networks’ broader identity security strategy. The platform is positioned around securing privileged access for human, machine, and agentic identities. 

CyberArk has long been one of the most established PAM providers. Its portfolio includes privileged account and session management, endpoint privilege management, vendor privileged access, secrets management, and machine identity security through Conjur, Secrets Hub, and Venafi. For machine identity use cases, Idira provides broad coverage across secrets, certificates, SSH keys, workloads, and privileged access controls. 

Capabilities & Strengths 

• Mature PAM, secrets, certificate, SSH key, and workload identity coverage. 

• Vaulting, rotation, session management, endpoint privilege, and vendor access at scale. 

• Support for machine identities, AI agents, and agentic access patterns. 

• Large ecosystem, broad integrations, and global enterprise support. 

Considerations & Limitations 

• Historically one of the more expensive PAM platforms. 

• Deployment, upgrades, and administration can be complex. 

• Buyers should clarify how CyberArk products map into the newer Idira platform. 

• Licensing, packaging, and migration paths may require extra evaluation. 

• The broader platform may be more than some smaller and midmarket teams need. 

3. Delinea, including StrongDM 

Delinea combines enterprise PAM with StrongDM’s infrastructure access and runtime authorization model. The StrongDM acquisition gives Delinea a stronger story for just-in-time access across developers, cloud infrastructure, workloads, databases, Kubernetes, and AI-driven environments. 

Delinea has expanded through multiple acquisitions, including Thycotic, Centrify, and StrongDM. For machine identities, Delinea supports secrets management, workload access, cloud infrastructure access, DevOps Secrets Vault, and policy-driven authorization. It is a strong fit for organizations trying to reduce standing privilege across hybrid IT, engineering, and cloud environments. 

Capabilities & Strengths 

• Vaulting, session management, privilege elevation, and JIT access. 

• Secrets management, DevOps Secrets Vault, and workload access support. 

• StrongDM access for cloud resources, databases, Kubernetes, and automation. 

• Policy-driven authorization for machine and AI-driven privileged actions. 

Considerations & Limitations 

• Recent acquisitions should be evaluated for integration maturity. 

• Some deployments may require professional services or additional configuration. 

• Remote privileged access has historically been less mature than some competitors. 

• Some credential management and discovery use cases may require customization. 

• Pricing and packaging may vary based on the capabilities needed. 

4. BeyondTrust 

BeyondTrust is a long-standing PAM provider with strong capabilities in privileged remote access, password management, endpoint privilege management, and identity security. It is especially relevant for organizations that need to secure administrators, vendors, help desk teams, and privileged endpoint activity. 

For machine identity security, BeyondTrust has expanded beyond traditional vaulting and session management. Its platform can discover privileged accounts, service accounts, secrets, roles, policies, and privilege relationships, then connect those findings to risk scoring and remediation. It also extends into AI-agent governance, privilege mapping, and cloud entitlement management. 

Capabilities & Strengths 

• Strong remote privileged access, vendor access, and endpoint controls. 

• Discovery of service accounts, secrets, NHIs, and privilege paths. 

• JIT and ephemeral access for reducing standing privilege. 

• Secrets, key, certificate, and cloud entitlement capabilities. 

Considerations & Limitations 

• Breadth of capabilities may require careful product scoping. 

• Third-party secrets manager support should be validated for specific use cases. 

• Some machine authentication methods may depend on roadmap. 

• Initial setup and configuration can be complex. 

• User interface and navigation may require improvement. 

5. One Identity 

One Identity is a credible PAM and privileged identity management provider with a strong foundation in credential management, privileged session monitoring, and UNIX/Linux privilege controls. It is a good fit for organizations already invested in One Identity or Quest Software environments. 

For machine identity use cases, One Identity supports credential and secrets management, certificate workflows, DevOps secrets brokering, and session oversight. It is more compelling as a mature PAM and compliance platform than as a cloud-native AI-agent security platform. 

Capabilities & Strengths 

• Mature privileged session monitoring, recording, and audit support. 

• Credential, secrets, certificate, and DevOps broker capabilities. 

• Strong UNIX/Linux, sudo, and Active Directory coverage. 

• JIT workflows that help reduce standing access. 

Considerations & Limitations 

• Machine identity and AI-agent capabilities are still evolving. 

• CIEM depth is more limited than some competitors. 

• Advanced capabilities may require additional One Identity products. 

• Multiple interfaces or modules may be required for broader use cases. 

• Less compelling for organizations prioritizing cloud-native AI-agent governance. 

6. Saviynt 

Saviynt connects PAM with broader identity governance and administration. This makes it relevant for organizations that want privileged access tied to access reviews, lifecycle management, certification, and cloud entitlements. 

For machine identities, Saviynt’s strength is governance. It can help organizations manage service accounts, cloud access keys, SSH keys, certificates, API tokens, hard-coded secrets, and AI agents as part of a broader identity security program. 

Capabilities & Strengths 

• PAM connected to lifecycle, access reviews, and certification. 

• Strong governance for human and non-human privileged identities. 

• CIEM and cloud entitlement visibility. 

• Support for secrets, tokens, certificates, and AI-agent direction. 

Considerations & Limitations 

• Less depth in traditional PAM controls than specialized PAM vendors. 

• Credential and secrets vaulting should be validated for complex use cases. 

• Endpoint privilege management is less mature. 

• Session recording depth should be validated. 

• Privileged identity discovery has been cited as an area that lags. 

7. ARCON 

ARCON is a PAM-focused vendor with broad coverage across privileged account and session management, endpoint privilege management, remote PAM, secrets management, CIEM, and DevOps infrastructure integrations. 

For machine identity security, ARCON governs service accounts, APIs, certificates, automation workloads, secrets, and cloud access. It also supports policy-driven JIT access, behavioral analytics, and AI-assisted session review. 

Capabilities & Strengths 

• Strong credential, secrets, and privileged account management. 

• Support for machine identities, APIs, automation, and DevOps use cases. 

• CIEM and cloud controls for reducing overprivileged access. 

• AI-assisted review, risk scoring, and abnormal activity analysis. 

Considerations & Limitations 

• Integrations with ITSM and IGA tools should be evaluated. 

• Presence in the Americas and Europe is more limited than some competitors. 

• Channel partner support may vary by region. 

• Some certifications may be important for public sector buyers. 

• Platform scope may increase implementation planning requirements. 

8. Segura 

Segura, formerly senhasegura, offers a broad PAM platform that includes PAM Core, Endpoint Privilege Manager, Domum Remote Access, and DevOps Secret Manager for PAM for machines. 

Segura is particularly strong in discovery, credential management, and privileged lifecycle management. For machine identities, it supports service accounts, shared accounts, shadow admins, automation identities, DevOps secrets, certificates, cloud entitlements, and CIEM use cases. 

Capabilities & Strengths 

• Strong discovery across privileged human and machine identities. 

• Credential, secrets, certificate, and lifecycle management. 

• DevOps Secret Manager for machine and automation use cases. 

• Session monitoring, forensic audit, and AI-powered summaries. 

Considerations & Limitations 

• Remote privileged access should be validated against enterprise requirements. 

• JIT maturity may vary by use case. 

• Pricing may be above market average in some scenarios. 

• Regional presence is less established than larger global PAM vendors. 

• Recent rebranding may create some market confusion. 

9. ManageEngine 

ManageEngine PAM360 is a practical PAM option for organizations that want core privileged access controls at a lower cost. It is especially relevant for existing ManageEngine customers that want PAM connected to their broader IT management environment. 

For machine identity use cases, PAM360 manages SSH keys, certificates, encryption keys, tokens, and other non-human access artifacts. It also includes certificate lifecycle management, key management, automated rotation, and integrations with the broader ManageEngine stack. 

Capabilities & Strengths 

• Core PAM with vaulting, session control, recording, and break-glass access. 

• Management for SSH keys, certificates, tokens, and encryption keys. 

• Native certificate lifecycle management. 

• Workflow automation and AI-assisted SSH session summaries. 

Considerations & Limitations 

• Advanced AI-agent lifecycle support should be validated. 

• Workload identity and secrets management are less mature than some leaders. 

• JIT privileged access capabilities should be evaluated by use case. 

• CIEM breadth is still expanding. 

• Not hosted as SaaS by the vendor. 

10. Keeper Security 

Keeper Security offers KeeperPAM, Keeper Secrets Manager, and Endpoint Privilege Manager. It is a strong fit for organizations that want SaaS-based PAM, secrets management, browser-based privileged access, and a simpler operating model. 

For machine identities, Keeper’s strongest fit is secrets management, workload credential protection, service accounts, NHIs, and DevOps workflows. KeeperPAM supports runtime credential injection, time-bound privileged sessions, ephemeral accounts, and session-based access that can reduce standing exposure. 

Capabilities & Strengths 

• Secrets management and workload credential protection. 

• Support for service accounts, NHIs, and DevOps workflows. 

• Runtime credential injection and time-bound privileged sessions. 

• Browser-based PAM, remote access, and simpler deployment. 

Considerations & Limitations 

• Less complete enterprise PAM coverage than larger platforms. 

• Privileged account discovery should be validated for complex environments. 

• Automated key lifecycle management is more limited. 

• JIT credential issuance is still maturing. 

• Not ideal for complex enterprise programs that require very broad discovery, rotation, and session-control depth. 

Final Thoughts 

Machine identities and AI agents are changing what PAM needs to do. The question is no longer only, “How do we protect administrator passwords?” It is also, “How do we control every privileged action taken by a human, machine, workload, automation script, or AI agent?” 

That requires a modern PAM approach that can broker access, protect credentials, enforce policy, support just-in-time privilege, and provide clear audit evidence across all privileged identities. 

Many vendors are racing to solve this through acquisitions and platform expansion. That can add important capabilities, but it can also create operational complexity. Buyers should look carefully at how each solution works in practice, not just how broad the platform sounds. 

For organizations that want a modern, agentless approach to privileged access for all identities, 12Port was built from the ground up for this new reality – privileged access for humans, machines, and agentic AI without disclosing credentials. 

Learn more about 12Port Privileged Access Management for AI and Machine identities.  

Or Try 12Port Today 

The post Top 10 PAM Solutions for Securing Machine Identities and AI Agents  appeared first on 12Port.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from 12Port authored by Peter Senescu. Read the original post at: https://www.12port.com/blog/top-10-pam-solutions-for-securing-machine-identities-and-ai-agents/