NCC Group, Delinea partner on managed PAM for AI era

NCC Group has signed a partnership with Delinea centred on privileged access management services, adding Delinea's platform to NCC Group's digital identity offering.

The two companies said the arrangement covers privileged access management, often shortened to PAM. The technology controls and monitors access to high-value systems and accounts. It typically focuses on accounts with elevated rights in IT environments.

NCC Group positions the partnership as part of its Unified Digital Identity Framework. The company said PAM forms a component of that framework.

Focus on identities

Privileged access management has drawn increased attention as organisations face threats linked to stolen credentials and misuse of elevated permissions. Security teams also face pressure from evolving compliance requirements and expanding IT estates. Many organisations now run hybrid environments across on-premise systems and cloud services.

NCC Group and Delinea linked the deal to those trends. They also referenced the increased adoption of AI by organisations and the resulting changes in how they manage identity security controls.

Delinea's platform includes discovery of identities and tools for allocating access rights. It also includes monitoring and response features. The companies described the approach as aligned with Zero Trust Architecture.

Service model

The partnership covers NCC Group's delivery of a managed PAM service based on Delinea's technology. NCC Group described the service as cloud-native and said it would sit within its wider cyber and digital identity work.

The companies highlighted features such as secure credential vaulting, privileged session management and just-in-time access. They also referenced the concept of "Zero Standing Privilege", which reduces persistent elevated access by granting privileges only when required.

NCC Group also pointed to deployment and integration considerations in customer environments. It said the combination of a cloud-native architecture and a user interface could shorten implementation timelines.

The two companies also cited cost considerations. They pointed to automation and licensing flexibility. They said this could reduce operational overheads.

Attack paths

Cyber security teams often treat privileged accounts as a priority. Attackers commonly use stolen credentials as an entry point. They then attempt to escalate privileges and move laterally to critical systems. PAM products aim to centralise control of credentials and enforce governance around privileged activity.

NCC Group said it draws on its visibility into attacker behaviour when designing and operating such services. The company operates across incident response, testing and assurance work, as well as managed services in some areas.

Derek Gordon, Digital Identity Practise Lead, NCC Group, said: "We're on the frontline of cyber defence, providing deep insight into attack paths and adversary strategies. Our unified digital identity framework offers fully managed and integrated Cyber services, including PAM, that aim to mitigate risk, support compliance, and enhance user experience.

"Securing identity doesn't stop at the point of entry. With Delinea's software and NCC Group's expertise, we're delivering real-time PAM services, empowering our clients to implement Zero Trust and secure AI usage."

Delinea position

Delinea sells identity security software focused on privileged access and authorisation for human and machine identities. The company has positioned its platform around centralised authorisation, identity discovery and governance controls.

The partnership gives Delinea a route into NCC Group's client base for managed identity services. It also ties Delinea's product set to NCC Group's framework-led approach to identity security delivery.

"As AI-driven identity-based threats and attacks continue to evolve, businesses are seeking partners that can help them stay ahead, protect their critical assets, and realise the value of their cybersecurity investments more efficiently. By selecting Delinea as its strategic provider of PAM solutions, NCC Group is leading the way in helping our joint customers deploy quickly, augment staff, and offer managed service options to allow for continuous identity discovery, protection, and governance," said Kelly.

NCC Group said the PAM service will sit alongside its broader identity and access management work, as organisations review privileged access controls in hybrid environments and expand identity governance across users, applications and machines.