IBM Security Secret Server vs Symantec Privileged Access Manager comparison

IBM and Broadcom are both solutions in the Privileged Access Management (PAM) category. IBM is ranked #20 with an average rating of 8.0, while Broadcom is ranked #17 with an average rating of 8.5. IBM holds a 1.3% mindshare in PAM, compared to Broadcom’s 1.7% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 85% of Broadcom users who would recommend it.

IBM Security Secret Server

Read 8 IBM Security Secret Server reviews

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593 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Symantec Privileged Access ...

Read 53 Symantec Privileged Access Manager reviews

1,529 Views
1,208 Comparison Views

85% willing to recommend

IBM Security Secret Server

Symantec Privileged Access ...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 6, 2024

Symantec Privileged Access Manager and IBM Security Secret Server compete in the privileged access management category. IBM seems to have the upper hand due to its comprehensive features, although Symantec is preferred for pricing and customer support.

Features: Symantec Privileged Access Manager is known for its integration capabilities, effective session monitoring, and competitive pricing. IBM Security Secret Server offers robust password management, extensive audit reporting, and comprehensive feature depth.

Room for Improvement: Symantec needs better scalability options, a more intuitive user interface, and enhanced session reporting. IBM requires more intuitive navigation, streamlined workflow processes, and an enhanced user experience.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Symantec Privileged Access Manager is noted for a straightforward deployment process and strong customer service. IBM Security Secret Server demands more initial setup resources but compensates with reliable support and broader deployment models.

Pricing and ROI: Symantec Privileged Access Manager is competitively priced with a satisfactory return on investment over time, ideal for budget-conscious enterprises. IBM Security Secret Server, with higher initial setup costs, justifies its ROI through expanded capabilities, offering value for organizations prioritizing advanced features over cost.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM Security Secret Server vs. Symantec Privileged Access Manager Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server vs. Symantec Privileged Access Manager

December 2025

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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

Symantec Privileged Access ...

Ranking in Privileged Access Management (PAM)

17th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Privileged Access Management (PAM) category, the mindshare of IBM Security Secret Server is 1.3%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Symantec Privileged Access Manager is 1.7%, up from 1.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Privileged Access Management (PAM) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Symantec Privileged Access Manager	1.7%
IBM Security Secret Server	1.3%
Other	97.0%

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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Muzi Lubisi

Senior technical Consultant at CA Africa

Secure management of sensitive servers and seamless applications with direct linking

The credential injection feature is highly valued, particularly for RDP sessions. A majority of customers use it for RDP, and a couple for Linux servers. The broader capabilities, including access to multiple systems, web-based applications, and clustering, have never posed an issue. The threat analytics aspect is also a robust feature that analyzes all pertinent information.

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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

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

"The live recording is a very useful feature."

"What I like best about IBM Security Secret Server is its single-access console. It's also easy to manage and fulfills the requirements with the least resistance."

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

"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."

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

"CA PAM is working well for us."

"Password Management and Session Recording. The simplicity and ease that it is to be up and running out-of-the-box is very much appreciated."

"Transparent login for users of privileged IDs (Linux, Windows). This prevents sharing of the password because it is never seen."

"One of the key things for us about the product is around its simplicity. Being able to put in the technology that allows the business to remove complexity and also allow the security improvements."

"The DB clustering is a really good benefit of using CA PAM."

"The interface is very friendly, colorful, and bold."

"Symantec PAM is easier to deploy compared to its competitors, such as BeyondTrust."

"It gives you list of servers, so you can see which users have access to which servers. This is really useful, so we can make sure nobody is getting extra access than what is needed."

More Symantec Privileged Access Manager pros

Cons

"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."

"What needs improvement in IBM Security Secret Server is support. The local partner provides good support, but IBM itself doesn't. Most of the time, the IBM support team does not aggressively resolve issues reported through chat or the IBM website."

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

"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."

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

"Broadcom has neglected product development since acquiring Symantec, and nothing major has been added to PAM."

"Bring more technology into the portfolio and being able to collapse those products into a much more integrated way."

"I wish it could create local accounts on desktops."

"Recent releases need improvement in webpage management. For instance, navigating through a webpage that acts like a wizard, where I proceed to the next page and enter more information, is not handled well by the system."

"Technical support was good when CA handled it. After Broadcom took over, it's not as good."

"The setup is complex."

"What I hope happens with the new product CA PAM is to keep all the useful features that exist in PA, but what I’ve noticed with many new products is the UI gets polished but systems lags stability and performance or it adds additional complexity instead of simplifying the user experience."

"They need to do a little bit more on the mainframe side."

More Symantec Privileged Access Manager cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

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

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

"It is reasonably priced."

"Don’t go with an agent model. Don’t go with a model that has you buying a thousand different parts. Go with PAM that gives you everything, or you’ll just be paying costs of implementing another tool that PAM would have just given you up front."

"Appliances are relatively cheap, don’t skimp. Make sure you have redundancy, high availability, and enough appliances to manage the concurrent workload."

"The version we are using is affordable compared to BeyondTrust, which is maybe three to four times as expensive, but it depends on the features."

"The prices are not low, but one can ask for a discount. It’s not the cheapest PAM solution."

"I would prefer better licensing options for the 20-100 users we have at a given time."

"It is more expensive than other solutions on the market."

"The licensing is simple and scalable."

More Symantec Privileged Access Manager pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Insurance Company

13%

Computer Software Company

11%

Performing Arts

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

12%

Computer Software Company

11%

Marketing Services Firm

11%

Government

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	14
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	30

Questions from the Community

Ask a question

Earn 20 points

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

Due to the nature of the solution, it is hard to gauge, but compared to competitors, the pricing is very good. I would rate it as an eight and a half out of ten.

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What needs improvement with Symantec Privileged Access Manager?

Recent releases need improvement in webpage management. For instance, navigating through a webpage that acts like a wizard, where I proceed to the next page and enter more information, is not handl...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Symantec Privileged Access Manager?

With the customers that I have so far, I help them broker RDP sessions to sensitive servers, particularly those that manage aspects like physical access. I have also done it for backend databases, ...

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Comparisons

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

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Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) vs Symantec Privileged Access Manager

Compared 17% of the time

BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management vs Symantec Privileged Access Manager

Compared 12% of the time

Delinea Secret Server vs Symantec Privileged Access Manager

Compared 12% of the time

ARCON Privileged Access Management vs Symantec Privileged Access Manager

Compared 11% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server

January 2026

Download IBM Security Secret Server product report

Buyer's Guide

Symantec Privileged Access Manager

January 2026

Symantec Privileged Access Manager report

Download Symantec Privileged Access Manager product report

Also Known As

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

CA PAM, Xceedium Xsuite, CA Privileged Access Manager

Overview

IBM Security Secret Server protects privileged accounts from hackers and insider threats, helps ensure compliance with evolving regulations, and allows authorized employees to seamlessly gain access to the tools and information they need to drive productivity. Easily detect, manage and audit privileged accounts, and control which applications are permitted to run on endpoints and servers to prevent malicious applications from penetrating the environment. IBM Security Secret Server is fast to deploy, easy to use and scalable for the enterprise.

IBM

CA Privileged Access Manager is a simple-to-deploy, automated, proven solution for privileged access management in physical, virtual and cloud environments. It enhances security by protecting sensitive administrative credentials such as root and administrator passwords, controlling privileged user access, proactively enforcing policies and monitoring and recording privileged user activity across all IT resources. It includes CA PAM Server Control (previously CA Privileged Identity Manager) for fine-grained protection of critical servers

Broadcom

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

NEOVERA, Telesis, eSoft

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server vs. Symantec Privileged Access Manager

December 2025

Free Report: IBM Security Secret Server vs. Symantec Privileged Access Manager

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