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 #22 with an average rating of 8.0, while Broadcom is ranked #18 with an average rating of 8.5. IBM holds a 1.2% mindshare in PAM, compared to Broadcom’s 1.6% 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

612 Views
606 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Symantec Privileged Access ...

Read 53 Symantec Privileged Access Manager reviews

1,773 Views
1,383 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: March 2026).

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server vs. Symantec Privileged Access Manager

March 2026

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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)

22nd

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)

18th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Privileged Access Management (PAM) category, the mindshare of IBM Security Secret Server is 1.2%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Symantec Privileged Access Manager is 1.6%, up from 1.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Privileged Access Management (PAM) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Symantec Privileged Access Manager	1.6%
IBM Security Secret Server	1.2%
Other	97.2%

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

"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."

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

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

"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."

"The live recording is a very useful feature."

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

"The RDP-gateway: For limiting which server an operator can access."

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

"The credential injection feature is highly valued, particularly for RDP sessions."

"Comprehensive coverage of the required features for the PAM solution."

"The two factor authentication, and the single most important capability was it supported PIV and CAC as one of the two factors. That was pretty huge for us."

"Whoever built it from the ground up, they understand how an organization is laid out."

"It is simple to implement and is suitable for medium to large-scale enterprises."

"It will provide us with more security."

More Symantec Privileged Access Manager pros

Cons

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

"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."

"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."

"The newer interface is more difficult to use than the previous one, and consequently, new users might need more training."

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

"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."

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

"They should include some assignments in the test environment to explore the product's features."

"They need to have zero tier and active-active setup with zero minimum downtime, which they are working on it. "

"An improvement for this solution is that it should not be constantly based on user name and password. There should be a condition to edit and update your username."

"I’m no fan of Java as an application front-end, as it tends to have issues depending on what browser one’s using."

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

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

"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."

More Symantec Privileged Access Manager cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

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

"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."

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

"They offer per-device, per-user, or monthly and yearly licensing models."

"It is reasonably priced."

"Pricing is fair compared to other top vendors."

"The licensing is simple and scalable."

"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."

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

"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."

More Symantec Privileged Access Manager pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Insurance Company

23%

Computer Software Company

11%

Performing Arts

Marketing Services Firm

10%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Computer Software Company

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

What needs improvement with IBM Security Secret Server?

I believe there is not much that can be improved for IBM Security Secret Server. Providing local support and local vendor availability would be beneficial so we are not dependent on international s...

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What is your primary use case for IBM Security Secret Server?

IBM Security Secret Server serves multiple use cases for us, including the monitoring of privileged users, as well as the recording and password vaulting of their accounts, passwords, and need-base...

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What advice do you have for others considering IBM Security Secret Server?

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 beca...

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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.

See all answers

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...

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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

Delinea Secret Server vs IBM Security Secret Server

Compared 31% of the time

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs IBM Security Secret Server

Compared 25% of the time

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

Compared 24% of the time

Delinea Privileged Access Service vs IBM Security Secret Server

Compared 20% of the time

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CyberArk Privileged Access Manager vs Symantec Privileged Access Manager

Compared 25% of the time

ARCON Privileged Access Management vs Symantec Privileged Access Manager

Compared 14% of the time

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

Compared 12% of the time

BeyondTrust Endpoint Privilege Management vs Symantec Privileged Access Manager

Compared 11% of the time

Delinea Secret Server vs Symantec Privileged Access Manager

Compared 10% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM Security Secret Server

March 2026

Download IBM Security Secret Server product report

Buyer's Guide

Symantec Privileged Access Manager

February 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

March 2026

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

Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Security Secret Server vs. Symantec Privileged Access Manager and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.

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