Privileged Sessions

Open a terminal, a Windows desktop or a SQL workspace in the browser, or use your own SSH client, with the password never shown and every session on the record.

Connect without the password

From an account, select Connect. Anchor checks the person’s role, the account’s Policy and the server’s identity, then opens the session with the stored credential. The person works; the password stays with Anchor.

A live SSH session to svc_monitor on acme-linux01 in the Anchor console, with ordinary commands typed in the browser terminal — A live session to svc_monitor on acme-linux01. The header shows the evidence kept and the clipboard rule; the footer carries the session, account, target and Connect references.

The Connect menu on an account offering Terminal over SSH, Files over SFTP and Your own SSH tool — Connect offers what the account's Platform supports: a terminal, files over SFTP, or your own SSH tool.

Platform	What opens
Linux	An SSH terminal, and file transfer over SFTP when the Policy allows it
Windows	A desktop in the browser, with text clipboard when the Policy allows it
PostgreSQL	A SQL workspace, read-only or with changes enabled by Policy

Nothing to install for browser sessions, no VPN client, and no password to paste.

Or keep your own SSH client

Prefer OpenSSH or PuTTY? Once an administrator turns this on, set up your device, then name the account and go straight to it, or sign in to Anchor’s gateway and pick from every account you may use. The credential never reaches your laptop. You approve each device with your usual sign-in, for ten hours at a time by default, and administrators can require MFA too.

Set up my SSH client: a device name, a choice of OpenSSH, PuTTY or both, and a key Anchor makes — Setting up your own SSH client: name the device, choose OpenSSH, PuTTY or both, and let Anchor make the key. Only its public half goes to Anchor.

Each session follows its Policy

The account’s Policy decides whether sessions are allowed, how long they may last, when an idle session closes, and what evidence is kept:

Audit only: who connected, to which account, when, and how it ended.
Text transcript: also an encrypted transcript of terminal output.
Full recording: also an encrypted recording of input and output.

Recording is off until you turn it on. If a session cannot keep the evidence its Policy requires, it does not open.

Every session on the record

Activity, Sessions tab listing sessions with account, address, access path, outcome and duration — Activity → Sessions: every session with its account, address, access path, outcome and duration.

A session's overview with its reference, account, target, actor, Connect component and times — A session's record: who, which account and target, through which Connect service, and exactly when.

Administrators see who is connected right now and can end a session with a reason. That action is recorded too.

Next stop · 04Scopes, Roles and PoliciesOrganize by team, let team leads manage their own Scopes, and say once how the work should happen.