IBM Security Secret Server vs Idira Privileged Access Manager comparison

IBM and Idira by Palo Alto Networks are both solutions in the Privileged Access Management (PAM) category. IBM is ranked #20 with an average rating of 8.0, while Idira by Palo Alto Networks is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.6. IBM holds a 1.3% mindshare in PAM, compared to Idira by Palo Alto Networks’s 9.9% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Idira by Palo Alto Networks users who would recommend it.

IBM Security Secret Server

Read 8 IBM Security Secret Server reviews

1,005 Views
995 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Idira Privileged Access Man...

Read 230 Idira Privileged Access Manager reviews

22,329 Views
9,378 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

IBM Security Secret Server

Idira Privileged Access Man...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 2, 2026

Idira Privileged Access Manager and IBM Security Secret Server compete in the privileged access management space. Idira seems to have the upper hand due to its robust session handling and adaptability features.

Features: Idira Privileged Access Manager is recognized for its powerful session monitoring, strong audit capabilities, and seamless SIEM integration. Real-time session management is a standout feature. IBM Security Secret Server excels in credential management and session recording, offering easy integration with cybersecurity frameworks. Its effective monitoring and comprehensive recording capabilities are particularly valued.

Room for Improvement: Idira users note the need for better plugin connectors and broader device integration without custom development. Enhancements in session monitoring search and SAML or AWS account integrations would be beneficial. IBM could benefit from improved local support, a lighter architecture, and enhanced shared storage features to automatically sync passwords across servers, reducing scripting needs.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Idira offers versatile deployment options, including on-premises, hybrid, and public cloud environments but is noted for slower technical support response times. IBM supports mainly on-premises and hybrid setups, with users praising its knowledgeable support, though there are concerns about responsiveness. Overall, IBM's support is seen as effective.

Pricing and ROI: Idira is perceived as expensive, yet customers believe its cost is justified by leadership in the market. It provides a robust feature set for large organizations. IBM is viewed as a mid-range option, priced relative to its enterprise features, offering balanced pricing. While Idira may require a higher initial investment, both provide solid ROI through enhanced security and reduced breach risks.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM Security Secret Server vs. Idira Privileged Access Manager Report (Updated: June 2026).

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server vs. Idira Privileged Access Manager

June 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

IBM Security Secret Server

Ranking in Privileged Access Management (PAM)

20th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

5.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Idira Privileged Access Man...

Ranking in Privileged Access Management (PAM)

1st

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

230

Ranking in other categories

User Activity Monitoring (1st), Enterprise Password Managers (2nd), Mainframe Security (1st), Operational Technology (OT) Security (3rd)

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2026, in the Privileged Access Management (PAM) category, the mindshare of IBM Security Secret Server is 1.3%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Idira Privileged Access Manager is 9.9%, down from 17.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Privileged Access Management (PAM) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Idira Privileged Access Manager	9.9%
IBM Security Secret Server	1.3%
Other	88.8%

Privileged Access Management (PAM)

Featured Reviews

AsifIqbal

Chief Information Security Officer at a insurance company with 501-1,000 employees

Privileged access monitoring has strengthened identity control and improved security posture

I find the monitoring and recording parts of IBM Security Secret Server to be the most valuable features. Password vaulting is somewhat typical, but I rate monitoring and recording as very good features, along with ease of deployment. The reporting tools in IBM Security Secret Server have helped me identify vulnerabilities. From the monitoring part, you can somewhat cover the identity vulnerability aspect. However, for identity vulnerability, I think the best approach is to use IAM rather than PAM. It is easy to integrate IBM Security Secret Server with cybersecurity frameworks, which is a very important aspect. When we are improving our attack surface, identity is the most important thing that we need to cover, and PAM will play a very crucial role in improving our cybersecurity framework and architecture. The main benefits that IBM Security Secret Server provides for me include complete control over the privileged identities, which are the main sources that can have the privilege to make numerous changes on the system. If we protect these identities through PAM and provide elevation on their accounts when required, then we can improve our security posture and infrastructure security.

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Atul-Gujar

CyberArk manager at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees

Secures critical infrastructures with essential user session audit records

A potential area for improvement is enhancing support for cluster environments and distributed Vaults. Clients in multiple countries that need central access have different challenges that require better solutions from CyberArk. For financial services, CyberArk can improve incident response by ensuring fast support for critical priority tickets to meet compliance requirements. Providing more documentation on CyberArk is recommended for new team members to enhance their troubleshooting capabilities. I understand it's up to the client, but 99% fail to change the demo key, so it's crucial for CyberArk to emphasize changing the key and documenting it as part of the installation process.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"It is one of the most well-known names in this field."

"As a PAM solution, Secret Server performs all the use cases in our environment."

"Stability-wise, I think it is a very good solution."

"Access to privileged, shared credentials is simplified by optimizing the whole workflow and approval processes."

"This product has been able to cover most of the requests from our customers."

"The live recording is a very useful feature."

"One of the most valuable features is scalability, and how it allows you to scale it without affecting the underlying core components."

"The main benefits that IBM Security Secret Server provides for me include complete control over the privileged identities, which are the main sources that can have the privilege to make numerous changes on the system, and if we protect these identities through PAM and provide elevation on their accounts when required, then we can improve our security posture and infrastructure security."

More IBM Security Secret Server pros

"It has improved the way our company functions on the basis that they're expanding, and the SDDC management solution and the decision to bring on security licenses under the system umbrella, then has passwords and the system management be a requirement in the coming quarters."

"The risk of lost password and forbidden access to resources has been drastically reduced which increased the security level for the entire company,"

"Security is the solution's most valuable feature."

"Increased our insight into how privileged accounts are being used and distributed within our footprint."

"In terms of stability, there are no complaints; CyberArk, I would say, is an industry leader in this portfolio, especially in Privileged Access Management."

"It is useful for protecting passwords. If you need to do access security management, you can first use the CyberArk console, and after that, you can connect the firewall interface or firewall command line. Similarly, if you need to do an RDP session, you need to first log in to CyberArk before connecting to the Windows RDP session. This way, the admin doesn't know the password, and that password is changed immediately. To change the password, you first discover the old password in the network, and after that, you can change the password."

"It allows users to self-provision access to the accounts that they need."

"I haven't really thought about anything that I want to use it for, that I couldn't use it for."

More Idira Privileged Access Manager pros

Cons

"The nonclustered index is working in an area with a problem that needs improvement."

"If you have a hosted PIM in your local environment and you plan to migrate it to some cloud-based environment, then migration will become a painful task."

"The newer interface is more difficult to use than the previous one, and consequently, new users might need more training."

"Secret Server should have the ability to discover privileged accounts in the servers, like the administrator or users, from SQL and Oracle without having to import a script."

"Although much has improved in last two years, the GUI for IBM products can be improved."

"I mention that password vaulting and password rotation in IBM Security Secret Server are basically the same thing, and it becomes somewhat complex when integrating a different system with them because it requires API development."

"It would be preferable if the full proxy was included in the IBM Security Secret Server."

"The newer interface is maybe confusing old customer that using previous one from their point of views, I think they will need little pass of time to be familiar with."

More IBM Security Secret Server cons

"There are some options in the web portal where they can improve the user experience. For example, in remote, there is a parameter called 'access to remote machine.' When we put host names in that field, we are not able to search it. It"

"It is very expensive. They charge for every single thing they offer."

"Integration of this tool with SAML is a problem, as there is a bug."

"Areas of CyberArk Privileged Access Manager that can be improved include offering clearer configuration options."

"It needs better documentation with more examples for the configuration files and API/REST integration"

"The installation process should be easier and more user-friendly so that you don't need to hire a third party to deploy it."

"Privileged Threat Analytics (PTA) that can function in more that one AD domain at a time."

"In complex network infrastructure environments, sporadic network disruptions could create issues accessing the various CyberArk network devices."

More Idira Privileged Access Manager cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"My rating for the IBM Security Secret Server pricing is seven out of ten. It could be cheaper."

"I believe that we paid 35,000 or 40,000 US dollars for it."

"The price could be better. I think it's a good price for the on-premises environment and the high availability for enterprises the solution provides."

"It is in line with its competitors, but all such solutions cost too much money."

"The price of this solution is expensive."

"I rate the tool's pricing an eight out of ten."

"The price of this solution is quite reasonable."

"CyberArk is one of the best PAM solutions and one of the most expensive, but it works better than the others, so the pricing is fair."

"Compared to other solutions, it is costly."

"With the current model of licensing, for my use cases, sometimes it's hard to convince the management and get budget approvals for it. It's expensive and you're not getting anything new. It's just a control, but in terms of risk, you are covering a big impact on the company. Improvement in the licensing prices is something I would want to have."

"I do not have any opinions to add about the pricing of the product."

More Idira Privileged Access Manager pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Insurance Company

18%

Construction Company

11%

Performing Arts

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Outsourcing Company

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	2

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	59
Midsize Enterprise	42
Large Enterprise	175

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with IBM Security Secret Server?

I believe there is not much that can be improved for IBM Security Secret Server. Providing local support and local vendor availability would be beneficial so we are not dependent on international s...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for IBM Security Secret Server?

IBM Security Secret Server serves multiple use cases for us, including the monitoring of privileged users, as well as the recording and password vaulting of their accounts, passwords, and need-base...

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What advice do you have for others considering IBM Security Secret Server?

I mention that password vaulting and password rotation in IBM Security Secret Server are basically the same thing, and it becomes somewhat complex when integrating a different system with them beca...

See all answers

How does Sailpoint IdentityIQ compare with CyberArk PAM?

We evaluated Sailpoint IdentityIQ before ultimately choosing CyberArk. Sailpoint Identity Platform is a solution to manage risks in cloud enterprise environments. It automates and streamlines the m...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for CyberArk Privileged Access Manager?

My thoughts on the pricing of CyberArk Privileged Access Manager depend entirely on the vendors' requirements. If they want their things to be secure, they have to spend accordingly. We have four t...

See all answers

What needs improvement with CyberArk Privileged Access Manager?

I believe account discovery and rolling support need to be improved. Account discovery is important when integrating with other systems, as other PAM solutions can perform account discovery and onb...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 23% of the time

Fortra's Powertech Identity & Access Manager vs IBM Security Secret Server

Compared 18% of the time

Delinea Secret Server vs IBM Security Secret Server

Compared 16% of the time

Delinea Privileged Access Service vs IBM Security Secret Server

Compared 9% of the time

Okta Platform vs IBM Security Secret Server

Compared 6% of the time

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Safeguard by One Identity vs Idira Privileged Access Manager

Compared 4% of the time

Teleport vs Idira Privileged Access Manager

Compared 3% of the time

Keeper Enterprise Password Manager vs Idira Privileged Access Manager

Compared 3% of the time

Saviynt Identity Cloud vs Idira Privileged Access Manager

Compared 3% of the time

Delinea Secret Server vs Idira Privileged Access Manager

Compared 3% of the time

More Idira Privileged Access Manager Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server

July 2026

Download IBM Security Secret Server product report

Buyer's Guide

Idira Privileged Access Manager

July 2026

Download Idira Privileged Access Manager product report

Also Known As

IBM Secret Server, Secret Server, IBM Security Privileged Identity Manager

CyberArk Privileged Access Security, CyberArk Enterprise Password Vault

Overview

IBM Security Secret Server provides centralized management of privileged credentials, secure access, session recording, and replay. Its pricing model is unique, being based on user count rather than system connections, making it a flexible choice for organizations.

IBM Security Secret Server enhances cybersecurity by integrating with frameworks and offering features like monitoring, high availability, and adaptable reporting. It simplifies password management, automates changes, and ensures compliance with security protocols. The platform is valued for its ease of deployment and user-friendly interface, although it can improve in areas such as the GUI and integration process. Complex high availability and disaster recovery setups are noted challenges, along with nonclustered indexing issues affecting performance. Users desire improvements in local support and migration processes.

What are the key features of IBM Security Secret Server?

Centralized Management: Streamlines credential management across systems.
Session Recording: Allows recording and replay of sessions for forensic purposes.
Integration Capabilities: Enhances security with diverse cybersecurity frameworks.
Adaptable Reporting: Provides tools for customizable reporting.
Single-Access Console: Offers a unified user experience with granular roles.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies deployment and daily operations.
Scalability: User-based pricing model ensures flexibility and cost-efficiency.
Security Compliance: Ensures adherence to security protocols with automated processes.
Audit and Reporting: Robust capabilities for auditing and compliance documentation.
Enhanced Security Posture: Integrates well with existing frameworks to bolster security.

Organizations across various industries implement IBM Security Secret Server for managing privileged access and securing critical systems. It serves financial institutions by providing a secure jump server for accessing core banking platforms and databases. IT managers benefit from workflow approvals and automated password management, ensuring compliance and boosting security posture. The platform's session recording and auditing features are crucial for sectors needing detailed activity documentation.

IBM

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager safeguards privileged accounts through password management, credential rotation, and session recording. With seamless integration and real-time monitoring, it ensures robust security across platforms.

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager is recognized for its extensive capabilities in managing and securing privileged accounts. It offers vital functionalities such as automatic password rotation, real-time session monitoring, and cross-platform integration through APIs and custom connectors. Users find the flexibility in workflows and granular access controls beneficial, particularly in protecting access across cloud and on-prem infrastructures. However, improvements in its interface, installation process, plugin support, and integration with third-party tools are often suggested. Pricing is a concern for many, along with the need for better dashboard reporting, user provisioning, and enhanced documentation. Organizations leverage this tool for encrypting and monitoring critical account activities and automating password management to bolster security.

What are the key features of CyberArk Privileged Access Manager?

Enterprise Password Vault: Provides secure storage and management of enterprise credentials.
Privilege Session Manager: Offers comprehensive session recording and monitoring.
Privileged Threat Analytics: Detects and alerts on potential credential threats.
Integration Capabilities: Easily integrates with multiple systems using APIs and custom connectors.

What benefits or ROI should users expect?

Enhanced Security: Automates and centralizes password management, reducing risk of account misuse.
Compliance Support: Ensures alignment with compliance policies through automated processes.
Operational Efficiency: Streamlines security operations with real-time monitoring and integration.
Adaptability: Protects privileged access across diverse infrastructure setups including cloud and on-prem.

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager finds substantial use in industries such as finance, healthcare, and technology, where the protection of privileged accounts is critical. These sectors rely on its capabilities to manage application credentials securely and provide safe access for developers, administrators, and vendors across various infrastructures.

Idira by Palo Alto Networks

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Rockwell Automation

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server vs. Idira Privileged Access Manager

June 2026

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