Devolutions Server and Remote Desktop Manager

Privileged Access Management (PAM) is positioned as a core control in the Identity & Access Management lifecycle because many successful cyberattacks hinge on the misuse or theft of privileged credentials. Risk concentrates around shared privileged accounts, unauthorized use of elevated rights, credential theft by cybercriminals, and privileged access to third-party systems through cloud pathways. Privilege is no longer limited to a small administrator group managing on-premises LANs; modern organizations require task-based privileged access for both human users and machine identities across legacy environments and fast-growing multi-cloud infrastructures. As digitization expands the attack surface across cloud services, endpoints, and home working—without a secure perimeter—PAM has broadened into a wider security discipline that supports cloud security, privileged behavior analytics, and endpoint threat protection. Market growth is expected, with large vendors offering full platforms and newer entrants providing simpler niche tools; buyers must balance deployment complexity against capability depth and plan for future needs.

Devolutions, founded in 2010, evolved from Remote Desktop Manager (a thick-client remote connection manager) into a modular PAM offering with Devolutions Server, Workspace, and Gateway. Remote Desktop Manager supports many operating systems, VPN types, and remote protocols, and brokers credentials so users never see plaintext passwords. Devolutions Server provides password and privileged management via web or integration with Remote Desktop Manager, with strongest “password hiding” benefits achieved when both are used together. It supports OAuth2 with JWT, OpenID, and MFA/2FA options, plus a clean administrative dashboard aimed at simplifying PAM operations for SMBs with limited admin resources. Devolutions Gateway adds Just-in-Time authorization, including OAuth and Okta support, Jira ticketing, and mobile approval. Overall, the modules deliver strong SMB-focused PAM with select enterprise features (session recording, SSO), while gaps remain (e.g., privileged escalation, deeper DevOps/CIEM, and broader SaaS options). Key challenges include expanding capability without bloating the lean architecture and clarifying product messaging so buyers can understand module roles and interoperability.

• Many successful cyberattacks involve misuse of privileged accounts enabled by inadequate PAM software, policies, or processes.
• Privilege management use cases now extend across entire organizations, including users and machine identities across legacy and multi-cloud infrastructures.
• Several PAM vendors have started adding capabilities that support Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) for cloud resources and workflows such as DevOps and CI/CD.
• Devolutions was founded in 2010 and is a Canadian firm.
• Remote Desktop Manager supports Microsoft, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android.
• Remote Desktop Manager supports proprietary Cisco, SonicWall, and IPSec VPNs as standard.
• Remote Desktop Manager supports many connection types including RDP, SSH, VNC, Telnet, and Hyper-V.
• Devolutions Server can be accessed from Remote Desktop Manager or used as a standalone product through major web browsers.
• Devolutions Server supports AES-256 encryption and encrypted communications over HTTPS using TLS.
• Devolutions Gateway supports Just-in-Time access for connection entry types including RDP, SSH, VNC, ARD, PowerShell, and websites.

• “PAM is a critical part of the Identity & Access Management (IAM) lifecycle.”
• “It is fair to say that this is no longer the case.”
• “PAM has evolved into a wider cyber security and identity management discipline as digitalization has increased the attack surface to include cloud, multiple endpoints, home working, and no secure perimeters.”
• “Support for the demands of digital organizations is becoming a competitive differentiator in the PAM market.”
• “Buyers are increasingly aware that a well-configured and modern PAM platform can be an integral part of a Zero Trust architecture.”
• “Significantly, credentials are automatically brokered to users; they never have access or knowledge of the plain text credentials.”
• “The clean design of the dashboard shows Devolutions understands the importance of a simple UX and easy to use tools for faster and better PAM management in complex IT environments including cloud infrastructures.”
• “The challenge now is for Devolutions to add more capabilities while remaining true to its lean architecture and ease of deployment – no room for bloat.”
• “Perhaps the biggest challenge the company faces is not technical but in its messaging.”
• “This is a shame because there is the capacity for significant growth at the company if it gets the marketing right.”