AWS CloudTrail vs Idira Privileged Access Manager comparison

AWS CloudTrail vs. Idira Privileged Access Manager

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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

AWS CloudTrail

Ranking in User Activity Monitoring

2nd

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

5.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Idira Privileged Access Man...

Ranking in User Activity Monitoring

1st

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

230

Ranking in other categories

Enterprise Password Managers (2nd), Privileged Access Management (PAM) (1st), Mainframe Security (1st), Operational Technology (OT) Security (3rd)

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2026, in the User Activity Monitoring category, the mindshare of AWS CloudTrail is 10.6%, up from 7.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Idira Privileged Access Manager is 13.4%, up from 13.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

User Activity Monitoring Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Idira Privileged Access Manager	13.4%
AWS CloudTrail	10.6%
Other	76.0%

User Activity Monitoring

Featured Reviews

Chukwudi Uzoma

Head Of IT, Infrastructure at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees

Comprehensive audit trails have transformed incident investigations and strengthen security posture

The best features AWS CloudTrail offers are complete API activity logging, multi-account audit visibility, integration with AWS Organizations, event history for investigation, integration with CloudWatch and Security Hub, S3 log activity, and compliance and forensic support. Using AWS CloudTrail in that investigation has significantly improved my security posture, governance capabilities, and audit readiness. It provides data accountability across the AWS environment that helps me investigate incidents much faster than would ever be possible. AWS CloudTrail has reduced investigation times dramatically. Activities that previously required hours of manual analysis can now be resolved in seconds because the audit trail is readily available. It has also simplified audit preparation because evidence of AWS activities is automatically captured and retained. I particularly value the ability to answer the questions: who did what, when, and from where. Those are the most important questions during incident investigations and audits. AWS CloudTrail has positively impacted my organization by significantly improving my security posture, audit readiness, governance, and control capabilities. It provides accountability across AWS environments and helps me investigate incident management much faster than ever was possible. I noticed that my investigations during incidents are significantly more surgical, more reliable, and straight to the point.

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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

"AWS CloudTrail integrates with AWS Config and provides custom event, security, and compliance auditing."

"AWS CloudTrail features a totally cloud-based deployment."

"What I found most valuable in AWS CloudTrail is that it provides a good context of what's happening in the environment, so it's an excellent way to baseline what's occurring. I also like that AWS CloudTrail helps with audits."

"It is a stable solution. AWS handles it well."

"AWS CloudTrail is very reasonably priced and I definitely recommend AWS CloudTrail to those who are planning or considering using it; it is a must-have service in the AWS environment, and it should be used."

"From a scalability point of view, the tool has no issue, and it is completely fine."

"The product’s most valuable feature is monitoring. It helps us audit the changes in AWS account at the application and resource level."

"The solution is good as a central logging platform for showing all cloud events."

More AWS CloudTrail pros

"With PAM in place, we've experienced a significant reduction in potential security breaches."

"Before CyberArk, our developers would connect from the VPN directly to the jump servers to get all of their access; we have removed the jump servers to connect to CyberArk, security has improved, we know who is accessing and what they are doing, the access is secure, and CyberArk has increased our security."

"CyberArk Privileged Access Manager has helped our organization by controlling users' access."

"The most valuable feature of this product is the Central Policy Manager, as from the operation and security point of view a robot that can connect to destination machines, change passwords at fixed times, and put them in the vault, like a person, is the best that you can ask for because it combines more functionality in a single product and solves a lot of problems, from security to compliance."

"One way it has improved the organization is we now have restricted access for all users to go through CyberArk."

"There are no issues with scalability, and our clients are very happy to use the product."

"Password Vault's main advantage is its scalability. We constantly see huge enterprises implementing something like this, and the privileged session management is an excellent piece. You can kind of watch videos of whatever an admin has done."

"The support is always very responsive, accurate, and complete in their solutions."

More Idira Privileged Access Manager pros

Cons

"Maybe if we could do direct queries on CloudTrail without needing to export it to Athena, that'd be great."

"AWS CloudTrail should be redesigned to capture non-API calls. It would be more effective to have one tool that can perform multiple tasks instead of relying on multiple services for non-API activities."

"The solution should incorporate visibility for CloudWatch events."

"The solution's operation visibility could be improved."

"AWS CloudTrail could benefit from more comprehensive documentation and broader service integration."

"More controls should be introduced in CloudTrail, especially to see the logs in CloudTrail itself without saving them in S3, as S3 starts to incur charges."

"Once the organization defines its policies, it must immediately enable AWS CloudTrail and integrate it with auto-remediation procedures using Lambda functions. This ensures that the main administrator can receive information quickly and on time without delay."

"The platform’s reporting log sheet feature could be more user-friendly."

More AWS CloudTrail cons

"On the UI level, things could be better."

"In CyberArk Privileged Access Manager, the UI has room for improvement, as does the dashboard reporting, which could be made better or easier to use."

"If we actually implement agent AI in CyberArk Privileged Access Manager, it will check the logs, and if any errors are coming, it automatically triggers alerts and gives the solution."

"This is where we have had some woes with this software."

"CyberArk reporting is notoriously poor, offering about 5 reports out of the box. I am certified in Delinea, which includes 60 reports plus a custom report generator out of the box. Improved reporting would be beneficial."

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

"The initial setup could be simplified. Right now, in comparison to its nearest competitors, it's quite complex."

"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

"The solution is free if you don't need customizations but is not expensive otherwise."

"AWS CloudTrail is a cheap solution."

"CloudTrail itself is free of cost."

"It is a very cheap service because management is a SaaS offering from AWS."

"AWS CloudTrail is free."

"AWS CloudTrail is pretty affordable, and I have to double-check, but the service is free to use. I can add logs on the console, but if I want to store logs long-term, then I have to pay a storage fee, but it's relatively inexpensive."

"CyberArk has been Gartner's number-one pick for the past ten years, so you can infer that their pricing is higher than everyone else. When you are the best, you will charge appropriately for it."

"The price of CyberArk Privileged Access Manager could be less expensive."

"Pricing is quite high and it could be improved."

"The pricing for CyberArk is on the higher side compared to other Privileged Access Management products. Something should be done regarding enterprise licensing for long-standing customers."

"CyberArk Enterprise Password Vault's pricing is reasonable."

"It's expensive, certainly. But CyberArk is the leader in the market with regards to privileged access management. You pay a lot, but you are paying for the value that is being delivered."

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

"This product is very expensive."

More Idira Privileged Access Manager pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which User Activity Monitoring solutions are best for your needs.

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911,994 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Construction Company

17%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

University

Financial Services Firm

12%

Outsourcing Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	5

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

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for AWS CloudTrail?

AWS CloudTrail is categorized into management events, data events, and CloudTrail Insights. For one hundred thousand events, management costs are approximately two dollars, data events ten cents, a...

What needs improvement with AWS CloudTrail?

AWS CloudTrail could be improved by adding more intelligent anomaly detection capabilities, stronger AI-assisted investigation workflows, easier root cause analysis for complex event chains, and im...

What is your primary use case for AWS CloudTrail?

The primary use case for AWS CloudTrail is auditing and security monitoring. AWS CloudTrail allows me to track all API activity across my AWS organization, investigate security events, support comp...

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...

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...

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...

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Product Reports

AWS CloudTrail

Download AWS CloudTrail product report

Idira Privileged Access Manager

Download Idira Privileged Access Manager product report

Also Known As

CloudTrail

CyberArk Privileged Access Security, CyberArk Enterprise Password Vault

Overview

AWS CloudTrail offers comprehensive monitoring of AWS environments, enabling detailed tracking and auditing of API calls, changes, and account activities, promoting enhanced security and compliance.

AWS CloudTrail integrates seamlessly with other AWS services to monitor API calls and provide robust logging functionality. It enhances security by logging unauthorized access and scales for comprehensive monitoring across services. CloudTrail also aids compliance by retaining logs, supports troubleshooting with detailed logs, and improves workflow efficiency through integration with tools like Dynatrace. There are opportunities for advancements such as improved filtering, real-time visibility, and better documentation.

What are AWS CloudTrail's important features?

Contextual Activity Tracking: Provides detailed insights into environment activities.
Audit Assistance: Facilitates audits with extensive logs and activity histories.
Change Notifications: Sends notifications for changes in your AWS environment.
Automatic Alerts: Alerts automatically on specific metrics and potential security issues.
Seamless Integration: Integrates with AWS services to enhance monitoring capabilities.
Comprehensive Security: Tracks unauthorized access to enhance security.
Scalable Monitoring: Scales to monitor AWS services comprehensively.
Troubleshooting Support: Detailed logs aid in identifying and solving issues.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

Enhanced Security: Provides visibility into unauthorized access attempts.
Improved Compliance: Aids in meeting compliance requirements through log retention.
Efficient Integration: Boosts workflow efficiency when integrated with tools like Dynatrace.
Cost-Effective Storage: Facilitates long-term storage by integrating with Amazon S3.
Proactive Monitoring: Enables proactive monitoring and incident investigation.

Organizations across industries leverage AWS CloudTrail for auditing AWS environments, analyzing access and activities for compliance, and accelerating incident investigations. It is employed to monitor API calls, track AWS account operations, and enhance security visibility. Industries use it for proactive monitoring, historical tracking, and streamlining troubleshooting processes. CloudTrail aids in governance and risk management, ensuring transparency in cloud service operations and supporting long-term storage strategies.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

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

HTC, British Gas, Solinor, 2C2P

Rockwell Automation

AWS CloudTrail vs. Idira Privileged Access Manager