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IBM Security Secret Server vs WALLIX Bastion comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 6, 2024

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
8
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
WALLIX Bastion
Ranking in Privileged Access Management (PAM)
8th
Average Rating
7.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Privileged Access Management (PAM) category, the mindshare of IBM Security Secret Server is 1.3%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WALLIX Bastion is 4.0%, down from 8.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Privileged Access Management (PAM) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
WALLIX Bastion4.0%
IBM Security Secret Server1.3%
Other94.7%
Privileged Access Management (PAM)
 

Featured Reviews

AsifIqbal - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
René DRABO - PeerSpot reviewer
Team Lead at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Security has improved with monitored privileged sessions but the complex interface still needs work
I do not find WALLIX Bastion easy to use and ergonomic, but I have no clue about how much it costs. When I say it is not easy to use, I mean the interface is complex, but it might not be directly linked to the product; it might be linked to the way we implemented it in our context. The way we have to connect to a third Bastion and then launch another session bothers me. We also have some limitations, but I think this is linked to our context regarding how many times the session can stay open on the Windows session, which is not aligned with my needs. I am more of a promoter of other kinds of handling privileged access management with my use case, but it might not be linked to the tool; it is just because the implementation we made is not what I expect for my needs and it is not the way I want to work on my servers. In the past, I used the leader in PAM but cannot remember the name. I was more satisfied because the connection was more straightforward: I click on a button, make my authentication, and have my servers open, and this is the way I want it. The UI was the main reason why I thought the previous tool I was using was better.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"Access to privileged, shared credentials is simplified by optimizing the whole workflow and approval processes."
"As a PAM solution, Secret Server performs all the use cases in our environment."
"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."
"It is one of the most well-known names in this field."
"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."
"One of the most valuable features is scalability, and how it allows you to scale it without affecting the underlying core components."
"Centralized Password Management: Our client has more than 400 geographical locations and approximately ten employees work at each location."
"The live recording is a very useful feature."
"We use WALLIX Bastion to provide access and to monitor sessions."
"Technical support is very good; they have their own ticket system that is available for all customers and their system is already in different languages, for example, English, French, and, for us, Russian."
"WALLIX Bastion is a security tool that protects us, and I think we are protected with this tool."
"The most valuable feature of WALLIX Bastion is its password management capability, which is central to safeguarding sensitive information."
"Bastion provides a kind of isolation between the administration laptop and the server you want to administer."
"WALLIX Bastion is a great solution that evolves with new features, unlike competitors like CyberArk."
"We have seen a lot of improvement, especially in regard to our forensic investigations."
"The interface is very simple. It doesn't need any plug-ins, just browsers that are installed at the beginning."
 

Cons

"Unfortunately, the technical support is not very responsive because we purchased it from IBM; however, the actual support comes from Thycotic."
"If you have a hosted PIM in your local environment and you plan to migrate it to some cloud-based environment, then migration will become a painful task."
"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."
"Although much has improved in last two years, the GUI for IBM products can be improved."
"The newer interface is more difficult to use than the previous one, and consequently, new users might need more training."
"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 performance of WALLIX Bastion's password manager is very low."
"Also, the biggest disadvantage of WALLIX is the reporting or behavioral analysis limited. I feel like it's very weak in reporting when compared to the other solutions."
"I do not find WALLIX Bastion easy to use and ergonomic."
"The password management needs improvement. Management of Access Manager should be improved as well."
"For me, the main issue has to do with the system performance itself."
"The main problem of Bastion, CyberArk, and WALLIX is that they have the same interface for both administration and users, which is not a good idea from a security perspective."
"The performance of WALLIX Bastion's password manager is very low."
"Reporting requires improvement; it is basic, allowing only CSV file extraction with no analytics features."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"My rating for the IBM Security Secret Server pricing is seven out of ten. It could be cheaper."
"I believe that we paid 35,000 or 40,000 US dollars for it."
"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."
"Some extra price needs to be paid for license."
"The solution's pricing is comparable to that of other products."
"The solution's price is mid-ranged."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Insurance Company
20%
Construction Company
11%
Computer Software Company
8%
Performing Arts
8%
Computer Software Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise2
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business10
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise5
 

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...
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...
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...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for WALLIX Bastion?
The price of WALLIX Bastion is rated five out of ten, positioning it in the middle. The cost is justified by the features and capabilities we receive.
What needs improvement with WALLIX Bastion?
I do not find WALLIX Bastion easy to use and ergonomic, but I have no clue about how much it costs. When I say it is not easy to use, I mean the interface is complex, but it might not be directly l...
What is your primary use case for WALLIX Bastion?
The major use cases for WALLIX Bastion are general privileged access management, such as connecting to a server or securing SSH.
 

Also Known As

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

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
RTBF, Pharmagest, Michelin Group, Niort Hospital
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Security Secret Server vs. WALLIX Bastion and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.
894,668 professionals have used our research since 2012.