LDAP isn’t a direct authentication option for PSMP; RADIUS, Windows, and RSA SecurID fit secure privileged access.

Outline / Skeleton

• Opening hook: the gatekeeper analogy and why PSMP matters

• What PSMP is and what it does in identity and access

• Authentication methods that play well with PSMP

• RADIUS: centralized AAA at the door

• Windows Integrated Authentication: using existing corporate keys

• RSA SecurID: adding a strong second factor

• LDAP: what it is and why it isn’t a direct login method for PSMP

• Quick side-by-side during the tour: a simple comparison you can skim

• Practical takeaways: how to plan your PSMP authentication stack

• Closing thought with a conversational nudge

PSMP and the security gate that never sleeps

If you’ve ever stood in line at a busy concert, you know a good gate can make or break the night. It’s not just about who has a ticket; it’s about how smoothly you’re admitted, how security stays tight, and how quickly you can get inside to enjoy the show. Privileged Session Management Proxy (PSMP) works a lot like that gatekeeper, but for the digital world. It sits at the threshold of your most sensitive systems, making sure that whoever wants in is who they say they are, and that their actions stay under control.

In the CyberArk ecosystem, PSMP is the trusted doorway for privileged sessions. It doesn’t do the heavy lifting of authentication by itself; it relies on trusted sources to confirm identities. Think of PSMP as the bouncer who checks the guest list handed to them by the hotel manager—the identity source, the aura of trust, and the access rules all come from elsewhere. Your choice of authentication method matters, because it determines how reliable that identity is and how smoothly you can scale when things get busy.

Which authentication methods actually work well with PSMP?

Let’s walk through a few common methods and see why they’re typically a good fit for PSMP deployments.

RADIUS: centralizing trust at the gateway

RADIUS is the workhorse of network access control. It’s a protocol designed for Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) across devices and services. In practical terms, RADIUS lets PSMP delegate the login handshake to a centralized service. The user presents credentials, the RADIUS server validates them, and then PSMP grants or denies access based on that decision.

• Why it fits: RADIUS is battle-tested in environments with many network endpoints. It provides a reliable, scalable way to enforce policy for privileged sessions without reinventing the wheel for every service.

• What to watch for: you’ll want to ensure your RADIUS server is tightly secured, with strong accounting so you can audit who did what during privileged sessions. Latency matters, too—if the AAA path is slow, users feel it at the gate.

Windows Integrated Authentication: leveraging what you already have

Windows Integrated Authentication (WIA) is the familiar path for many enterprises. Using Active Directory as the identity store, WIA lets users log in with the same corporate credentials they use to access Windows machines and domain resources. When PSMP talks to Windows AD, it leverages Kerberos or NTLM behind the scenes to verify identities.

• Why it fits: if your organization already runs on Windows AD, this path minimizes friction. Users don’t juggle extra credentials, and your security policies—like password age, MFA enforcement, and group-based access—can propagate through PSMP via the AD connection.

• What to watch for: the trust boundaries matter. Make sure the PSMP deployment has a secure AD integration setup and clear role-based access controls. Also consider how MFA is applied in the Windows domain so that privileged sessions are shielded with a second factor where required.

RSA SecurID: strong, portable two-factor protection

RSA SecurID is the classic second-factor champ. A physical token (or a software token) generates time-based codes that a user must supply in addition to their password. For PSMP, this adds a much-needed layer of assurance for high-risk privileged actions.

• Why it fits: it elevates security beyond passwords alone. In scenarios where privileged access could cause serious harm if compromised, a robust second factor is a smart safeguard.

• What to watch for: token lifecycle management matters. Ensure tokens are issued, revoked, and synchronized properly, and plan for token loss or expiration events. Also account for user experience—training and support can help prevent friction at the gate.

LDAP: what it is and why it isn’t a direct login method for PSMP

Now, let’s address LDAP head-on. LDAP, or Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, is a way to query and modify directory services. It’s excellent for looking up user records, group memberships, and attributes in directories like Microsoft Active Directory or OpenLDAP.

• The catch for PSMP: LDAP by itself isn’t a direct authentication mechanism for PSMP. It’s a directory service. It helps identify who you are, where you belong in terms of groups, and what roles you might have, but not as a standalone login handshake for PSMP in the same way RADIUS, Windows AD, or 2FA-backed methods do.

• How it often fits in practice: organizations may use LDAP as the identity source for provisioning and for mapping user attributes, roles, or access policies. You might configure PSMP to consult LDAP for user data or to synchronize identities, but you still validate credentials through an authentication channel that the PSMP can trust (like RADIUS or AD with MFA). In short, LDAP is a powerful directory tool, not the door policy on its own.

A simple side-by-side in plain language

• RADIUS: central, network-style authentication that PSMP can depend on. It’s like having a reliable gatekeeper service at the network entrance.

• Windows Integrated Authentication: uses your existing corporate user accounts from Active Directory. It’s convenient if your people live in a Windows-centric world.

• RSA SecurID: adds a physical or software token for a second factor. It’s the extra layer that makes forged credentials much harder to use.

• LDAP: a directory of people and attributes. It helps you know who someone is and what they can do, but it isn’t the one-stop login method for PSMP on its own.

Why the distinction matters in real life

You might be thinking, “Can’t I just point PSMP at LDAP and call it a day?” It’s a logical thought—directories hold names, IDs, and group memberships. But authentication is a different job than directory lookup. The gatekeeper needs to verify something the person actually knows (a password) or possesses (a token), possibly plus something about them (a risk profile, a time constraint, a location). LDAP helps you organize and retrieve those identities and attributes, but the verification step needs a method that can confirm credentials in a secure, verifiable way.

This distinction isn’t just pedantic. It affects how you design audits, how you scale your security controls, and how you respond when a token is lost, or a password is changed, or an employee moves to a different role. If you lean too heavily on LDAP as the sole login path, you risk gaps in verification, inconsistent MFA application, and more friction when you need to adapt quickly to changing security requirements.

Practical notes you can apply tomorrow

• Map your identity sources to PSMP scenarios: identify which authentication method aligns with each privileged use case. For high-risk actions, pairing Windows AD with MFA or RSA SecurID makes sense. For network-bound tasks, RADIUS can be the backbone.

• Plan for MFA resilience: MFA is a cornerstone. Decide where you want it enforced—at the PSMP login, for elevated sessions, or both. Token management and backup options should be part of your rollout plan.

• Audit trails matter: whichever method you choose, ensure robust logging. PSMP-related activity should be traceable to a user, an origin, and an outcome. This matters during investigations and for compliance.

• Keep LDAP as a supportive actor: use LDAP to keep identities current, to reflect roles and groups, and to feed attribute data. Don’t rely on it as the stand-alone authentication punch for privileged access.

• Test with realistic scenarios: simulate token loss, password changes, role moves, and network hiccups. The goal is a gate that remains open enough to be efficient but tight enough to deter misuse.

A small mental model to carry forward

Picture PSMP as a security desk at a museum. The desk validates who you are and what you’re allowed to see. The security guard behind the desk doesn’t decide the art policy—he consults the museum’s master list (your directory, your identity sources) and uses the right badge check (the authentication method) to grant access. RADIUS, Windows AD, and RSA SecurID are various badge checks you can choose, depending on the room and the security level. LDAP is the directory that helps you know who’s on the list and what their rights are, but it doesn’t by itself stamp the badge at the door.

Conclusion: choosing the right combination matters

When you’re designing a PSMP-enabled environment, the choice of authentication methods isn’t just a technical detail. It shapes how quickly you can onboard users, how you enforce security standards, and how you manage risk in day-to-day operations. RADIUS brings centralized trust to the door. Windows Integrated Authentication leverages familiar corporate identities. RSA SecurID adds a stout layer of two-factor protection. LDAP plays a critical supporting role as a directory, but it doesn’t serve as the stand-alone login mechanism for PSMP.

So, if someone asks you which method isn’t directly applicable as a standalone login for PSMP, the answer is LDAP. It’s a directory service, not a direct credential verification gate. The real art is stitching together the right combination—so that your privileged sessions stay secure without slowing down the people who protect the business every day. And that balance? That’s where thoughtful design meets practical security, with CyberArk at the center of it all. Are you ready to map your identity sources and pick the combination that fits your environment best?