PowerBroker for Unix and Linux 9.0: Advanced Auditing, Database and API Capabilities

BeyondTrust has released version 9.0 of PowerBroker for Unix and Linux, our solution for efficiently delegating Unix and Linux privileges and authorization without disclosing passwords for root or other accounts. This new release features some exciting enhancements – especially around enhanced audit, database, and API capabilities. Read on for more. Advanced Control and Audit over Commands at the System Level Auditing and controlling activity inside scripts and 3rd party applications in Unix and Linux systems has been difficult for many companies to achieve, especially when it is easy to “cheat” the system by pointing shortcuts to unapproved applications. Other existing tools on the market have not been able to provide a solution to this common challenge. PowerBroker for Unix & Linux overcomes this challenge in version 9.0 by providing enhanced system level control and audit capabilities over any application – regardless of how the application is initiated. To achieve this, PowerBroker for Unix & Linux provides a secure container for all applications at the very lowest system level, providing fine-grained control over interactions between the operating system and the user. This results in a much faster and secure way of providing root access for individual controlled applications or administrative tasks, closing loopholes that exist in least privilege. A graphical representation of this method is shown below. PowerBroker for Unix & Linux Advanced Control and Audit capabilities provide system-level controls. Database for Storage and Configuration Management Several database enhancements are available in PowerBroker for Unix & Linux version 9.0. Each enhancement is meant to improve performance and simplify management.

• • Centralizing policy configurations into the database simplifies the process of detecting policy conflicts.
  • An enhanced, more scalable database, built on MySQL, provides new capabilities for change management of all settings and policy configurations.
  • Enhanced event and IO logfile archiving implements a simplified, more complete and integrated method of managing large amounts of data throughout its useful life to reduce storage costs.

REST API Provides Easier Integration and Administration of the Product A REST API has been developed for PowerBroker for Unix & Linux to enable it to integrate more easily with other BeyondTrust products, other third-party products, and allows customers to develop their own automated production processes. The API is web based and uses industry standard modern components, connectors and data elements within a distributed and secure enterprise environment. The API has also been extended to help automate the installation of this service, to facilitate a more effective and secure framework of services, all while providing the customer with an enhanced interface and the capability of more effectively interacting with PowerBroker. There are several more enhancements and new features in this release of PowerBroker for Unix & Linux. Check out the new features document for a complete rundown, and if you would like to learn more about PowerBroker for Unix & Linux, let us know.