Best Remote Infrastructure Access Alternatives to CyberArk

Remote infrastructure access tools enable secure connectivity to servers, databases, Kubernetes clusters, and cloud resources without relying on traditional VPNs or exposing credentials. While CyberArk provides remote access through its Privileged Session Manager and Vendor Privi

Best picks for this use case

#1

Teleport

Teleport provides the most comprehensive remote infrastructure access with native support for SSH, Kubernetes, databases, Windows desktops, and web applications through a unified, certificate-based access plane. Its open-source model and developer experience are unmatched.

Modern identity-aware access for SSH, Kubernetes, databases, and apps

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#2

StrongDM

StrongDM excels at providing transparent remote access where users connect through native clients with full audit logging. Its proxy architecture supports databases, servers, Kubernetes, and cloud resources with minimal workflow disruption.

Infrastructure access proxy with credential injection and session recording

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#3

HashiCorp Boundary

HashiCorp Boundary provides identity-based remote access with dynamic service discovery and credential brokering through Vault. It is the best choice for dynamic infrastructure environments managed with Terraform.

Session broker from HashiCorp, pairs with Vault for JIT credential injection

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#4

BeyondTrust

BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access provides enterprise-grade remote access for both employees and third-party vendors with session monitoring, granular permissions, and comprehensive audit trails.

Unified privilege management and secure remote access platform

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#5

Delinea

Delinea Connection Manager provides remote access capabilities integrated with Secret Server for credential management, offering a traditional but effective approach to remote privileged access with session monitoring.

Cloud-ready PAM platform built on Secret Server and privilege management

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How to implement this

  1. 1

    Inventory and Catalog Infrastructure Resources

    Create a comprehensive catalog of all infrastructure resources that require remote access including servers, databases, Kubernetes clusters, cloud accounts, and internal applications. Define which teams and roles need access to each resource and through which protocols.

  2. 2

    Deploy Access Proxy or Gateway Infrastructure

    Deploy the access platform's proxy, gateway, or agent infrastructure to provide connectivity between users and target resources. Configure network routing to ensure all remote access flows through the access platform rather than direct connections or VPNs.

  3. 3

    Configure Identity-Based Access Policies

    Define access policies based on user identity, team membership, and role. Configure just-in-time access workflows where users request access for specific resources and durations. Integrate with your identity provider for single sign-on and multi-factor authentication.

  4. 4

    Enable Session Monitoring and Audit Logging

    Configure session recording, command logging, and query-level auditing for all remote access sessions. Set up real-time alerts for suspicious activity such as privilege escalation attempts, access to sensitive data, or unusual access patterns.

  5. 5

    Onboard Users and Retire Legacy Access Methods

    Migrate users from VPNs, shared credentials, and direct access to the new platform. Provide self-service access request interfaces and documentation. Gradually decommission legacy access methods as teams adopt the new platform, ensuring no access paths bypass the central controls.

Frequently Asked Questions

CyberArk provides remote access through its Privileged Session Manager, which proxies sessions through a jump server and manages credentials centrally. Modern platforms like Teleport and StrongDM take a different approach by providing direct, identity-based access without credential vaulting, using short-lived certificates or transparent proxying. The modern approach offers better developer experience and faster access, while CyberArk provides deeper credential management and session control.

Yes. Teleport, StrongDM, and HashiCorp Boundary are specifically designed to replace VPNs for infrastructure access. They provide more granular access controls (resource-level rather than network-level), better audit logging, and improved user experience. Unlike VPNs, which grant broad network access, these tools provide access only to specific resources based on identity and policy, following zero trust principles.

BeyondTrust has the strongest dedicated vendor access capabilities through its Privileged Remote Access product, purpose-built for third-party access. Teleport and StrongDM support vendor access through their standard access request workflows with time-limited grants. CyberArk offers Vendor Privileged Access Manager for this use case. For organizations where vendor access is a primary concern, BeyondTrust or CyberArk offer the most mature solutions.

Teleport supports SSH, Kubernetes, databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, and more), Windows Remote Desktop, and web applications. StrongDM supports SSH, RDP, databases, Kubernetes, and HTTP resources. HashiCorp Boundary supports SSH and database protocols with credential brokering. CyberArk PSM supports SSH, RDP, database clients, and web applications. For the broadest protocol support in a modern platform, Teleport and StrongDM lead.
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