Hexnode LAPS vs. Legacy Solutions: Automated Password Rotation Not Just Account Provisioning

Hexnode LAPS is a professional-grade security framework that automates the lifecycle of local administrator credentials on Windows devices, providing centralized, directory-independent governance directly through the Hexnode UEM console.

Why do enterprises rely on LAPS?

Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) is a security protocol used to automatically generate, rotate, and vault unique passwords for local administrator accounts on Windows endpoints.

The enterprise necessity

Modern organizations manage vast fleets of devices where security and operational agility are paramount. Enterprises rely on LAPS for the following critical reasons:

• Mitigating Lateral Movement: If a local admin password is shared across multiple machines, a single compromise allows an attacker to traverse the network via Pass-the-Hash attacks. LAPS enforces a unique secret password for every device, limiting the impact of potential breaches.
• Automation at Scale: Manually managing local passwords for thousands of devices is operationally impossible and prone to human error. LAPS automates these rotations according to strict compliance schedules.
• Supporting Operational Needs: IT teams require secure, authenticated access for urgent troubleshooting, system recovery, and high-privilege maintenance. LAPS ensures this access is always available and strictly audited.

Why modern enterprises prefer Hexnode LAPS for lateral movement defense?

Hexnode LAPS is an integrated management solution that centralizes local administrator account governance within the Hexnode UEM console, supporting both built-in and custom-created accounts.

Unlike standard implementations that often focus on a single account or require a specific directory, Hexnode LAPS allows IT teams to maintain consistent control over multiple administrative roles from a single platform. Passwords are encrypted and stored in the Hexnode UEM console, where access is restricted to authorized personnel, reducing manual effort and systemic security risks.

Hexnode LAPS vs. Other Solutions

1. Independence of Directory-Based Identity Systems

Large organizations manage Windows devices in diverse states—some are fully managed, others are newly provisioned, temporarily disconnected, or operating outside standard corporate setups (e.g., remote employees or field workers).

Many LAPS solutions rely on directory systems like Microsoft Entra ID or Windows Server Active Directory to store and retrieve passwords. If a device is off-domain, not fully synchronized, or recently reset, this dependency causes critical delays in retrieving credentials during emergency support operations.

Hexnode LAPS avoids these limitations by centralizing password access directly within the Hexnode UEM console. Authorized IT administrators can securely retrieve credentials even when devices are not joined to a directory, ensuring consistent access across domain-joined, hybrid, and cloud-first devices.

2. Managing Multiple Administrator Accounts Across Large Fleets

Organizations often have complex teams, branch offices, and third-party contractors. Different administrator accounts are needed for daily IT operations, temporary access, specialized roles, or shared devices like kiosks and labs.

Many LAPS tools assume a single default administrator per device, rotating only the built-in account. Multi-role or temporary contractor accounts are frequently left unmanaged, forcing IT teams to manually track them—an error-prone and time-consuming process.

The Target Admin Accounts setting allows IT to include all relevant local administrator accounts in password rotation while ignoring non-admin accounts. This ensures that accounts across all teams and roles are consistently governed, and the risk of overlooked accounts is eliminated.

3. Admin Access on Newly Provisioned or Reset Devices

Enterprises frequently deploy new devices, reimage existing hardware, or reassign assets. In these cases, the expected local administrator accounts may not exist immediately, yet IT needs access for software installation and security checks.

Some solutions assume the administrator account already exists on the device. When accounts are missing—such as on freshly provisioned or reset devices—IT must manually create them, slowing down onboarding and increasing operational risk.

Hexnode LAPS includes the Automatically Create Account setting. This ensures all specified admin accounts exist on every device during policy deployment. Missing accounts are automatically created, giving IT teams immediate access from day one and eliminating delays.

4. Managing Disabled Admin Accounts

Organizations often need to temporarily disable administrator accounts during internal investigations, security audits, or operational pauses.

Many LAPS implementations do not provide control over disabled accounts. When an account is disabled, rotation may skip it or fail silently, creating security gaps and causing confusion during compliance audits.

The Disabled Admin Accounts setting allows administrators to define automated behavior. Disabled accounts can be re-enabled and rotated automatically to remain secure and compliant or remain untouched depending on audit requirements.

5. Securing the Built-in Administrator in Hardened Environments

Organizations apply security hardening measures, such as renaming the built-in administrator account or disabling it when not required, to reduce the attack surface.

Many LAPS tools focus only on the default “Administrator” name. When the account is renamed or disabled, it is often excluded from rotation, leaving a highly sensitive local account unmanaged.

With the Include Default Admin Account setting, Hexnode continues to govern the built-in Administrator account. Even when renamed or temporarily disabled as part of hardening policies, Hexnode includes it in rotation workflows based on organizational needs.

6. Consistent Password Strength Across All Devices

Devices are deployed across various environments—branch offices, labs, kiosks, and remote sites. Each type of device has different usage patterns, yet all must meet the same security expectation for strong credentials.

Some management solutions focus solely on rotation frequency but provide limited control over length or complexity. This results in weaker passwords on less-monitored devices, creating hidden vulnerabilities.

Hexnode allows IT teams to centrally define rules for length, character types, and rotation standards. Whether it is a kiosk or a remote laptop, every device receives a password that complies with these policies, ensuring uniform protection and simplifying audits.

7. Strategic History Retention for Audit Compliance

During internal security audits, teams may need to verify which passwords were active over the last few cycles without exposing unnecessary older credentials.

Systems often keep either all previous passwords (increasing risk) or none at all (failing accountability). Neither approach is ideal for a secure compliance posture.

The Password Retention Count allows IT to define exactly how many past passwords are vaulted. This provides a perfect balance between traceability for audits and the security principle of minimizing exposure.

8. Automated Password Rotation After Viewing

IT staff often face urgent situations where they must view a local admin password to fix a crashed workstation or configure a branch server. Once viewed, that password is “exposed” and should be considered compromised.

Many solutions leave passwords active for too long after they have been viewed, or require IT to manually trigger a rotation—an impractical requirement for high-volume support desks.

Hexnode utilizes Auto-Rotate After Viewing and Auto-Rotate Delay. Once a password is accessed in the console, it is automatically changed after a pre-configured time, ensuring the credential is only valid for the duration of the task.

Enterprise Benefit Comparison: Hexnode LAPS vs. Typical Solutions