Paying for a second laptop
May 22nd, 2022 by Jesper Kråkhede
A short business note on the device part of privileged access, because it always ends up being about money.
A PAW costs a laptop, a licence and some time to set up and run. For a team of ten admins that is a noticeable sum, but not a large one compared to most security projects.
The real cost is in the organisation. Someone has to own the PAW service, keep the image updated, handle broken devices and support admins at odd hours. The processes for buying and handing out admin devices need to be in place. And you need a policy that says privileged access is only allowed from a PAW, with management backing when someone wants an exception.
My advice to management is to see the PAW as part of the admin role, not as an extra. Just like a surgeon gets a sterile operating room, an admin with the keys to the whole company gets a clean device to work from. You wouldn´t ask the surgeon to operate in the cafeteria to save money.
And compare the cost with what you are protecting. A PAW programme for your most important admins costs less than one week of downtime.
Buy the second laptop. It is cheaper than the second incident.