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Enhance Privileged Access workflows

PAM verifies users, not devices. Smallstep closes this gap by enforcing device identity for privileged access, including AI agents and MCP servers. Short-lived certificates reduce blast radius and make privileged access auditable.

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Smallstep adds device identity to your PAM workflow

Block stolen logins

Even the best MFA can’t stop an attacker who steals an engineer’s credentials and logs in from an unapproved machine. Smallstep binds authentication to both user and device identity, blocking unauthorized endpoints before they connect.

Secure every OS

Whether your admins use macOS, Windows, or Linux, Smallstep enforces hardware-attested certificates, securing every privileged session without extra friction.

Ban untrusted devices

Most PAM setups don’t check device identity—only who is logging in. That means an admin can use any device, including a personal laptop riddled with malware. Smallstep enforces hardware-bound authentication, ensuring only approved machines can launch privileged sessions.

Stop lateral movement

Once inside, attackers move laterally using compromised credentials. Smallstep halts this by enforcing per-device, per-session verification, making it impossible to pivot between systems without explicit hardware validation.

Automate device controls

Forget manual allowlisting. Smallstep syncs with your MDM, blocking unrecognized devices and revoking access when a machine is lost or decommissioned.

Privileged Access Workflows

Enhance Privileged Access workflows with device identity

Most PAM solutions verify user identities but still allow logins from unmanaged, unpatched, or compromised devices. MFA alone can’t prevent attackers from using stolen credentials on unauthorized endpoints. Without device identity verification, compromised passwords leave you vulnerable—creating critical security blind spots. Smallstep ensures devices are trusted and approved before granting access.

Leading the industry in Zero Trust for devices

Kameleoon company logo - multicolored circular design - Smallstep SSH case study client achieving SOC 2 and ISO 27001 compliance

I know at which point who has access to what server which I really liked, and my auditors liked.

Jimmy Passemard, Chief Information Security OfficerKameleoon

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Hassle-free auditing

With Smallstep, gain centralized reporting and logging of all user sessions, host access events, and privilege escalations—giving you complete visibility into who accessed what resources, from which device, and when. Simplify compliance audits, improve security oversight, and easily demonstrate adherence to regulatory requirements without manual effort or guesswork.

Get these features and more with Smallstep

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ACME Device Attestation

Bind certificates to TPM or Secure Enclave hardware, preventing unauthorized reuse.

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Dynamic SCEP support

Use short-lived, per-request challenges instead of static secrets.

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Real-time device inventory

Syncs with MDMs to maintain a trusted, up-to-date list of corporate endpoints.

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Automated certificate lifecycle

Issue, renew, and revoke certs automatically, with zero manual overhead.

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Cross-platform coverage

Apply the same hardware-attestation logic on macOS, Windows, and Linux.

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Seamless integration

Works alongside your existing identity provider (Okta, Azure AD, etc.) for holistic zero trust.

Multi-platform device dashboard - Render, Apple, Linux, RDP, Windows filters - 32,175 managed fleet

Learn more about the platform

The Smallstep platform helps mitigate numerous cybersecurity threats – from phishing to advanced hardware attacks – without impacting end-user workflows.

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Enforce device identity everywhere

Whether you’re working towards a compliance standard, closing gaps in policy enforcement, or preventing nation-state attacks, our team is here to show you how Smallstep can help.

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FAQs PAM

Smallstep PAM replaces long-lived admin credentials with short-lived, certificate-based access. Instead of managing shared secrets, it uses cryptographic identity to grant just-in-time privileged access.

This eliminates standing privileges and dramatically reduces the blast radius of credential theft.

Traditional PAM systems vault passwords and SSH keys, which still exist and can be stolen. Smallstep removes static credentials entirely by issuing ephemeral certificates at access time.

There’s nothing to rotate, vault, or leak—access expires automatically.

Smallstep PAM secures SSH access, admin access to servers, infrastructure APIs, and internal systems where elevated privileges are required.

It’s designed for modern environments across cloud, on-prem, and hybrid infrastructure.

Users authenticate through your existing identity provider (Okta, Entra ID, Google Workspace, etc.). Smallstep then issues a short-lived certificate tied to that identity.

The certificate is used for access and automatically expires, enforcing least privilege by default.

Access policies are defined centrally and mapped to identity provider groups and device trust. Users only receive certificates for the exact systems and roles they’re authorized to access.

No group membership means no certificate—and no access.

Yes. Smallstep integrates natively with leading IdPs using OIDC and SCIM, so user lifecycle changes (joiners, movers, leavers) are enforced automatically.

Removing a user from an IdP group instantly revokes their privileged access.

Smallstep can require that privileged access only comes from trusted, company-managed devices using hardware-backed keys.

Even if credentials are compromised, attackers can’t use them from unmanaged or personal devices.

Yes. Every certificate issuance and access event is cryptographically verifiable and fully auditable.

Because access is certificate-based, logs are precise, tamper-resistant, and easy to correlate for compliance and forensics.

Absolutely. Smallstep PAM works across AWS, GCP, Azure, Kubernetes, and on-prem systems, using standard protocols like SSH and TLS.

There’s no proprietary agent required on servers—just standards-based configuration.

Smallstep PAM is ideal for organizations that want zero standing privileges, strong auditability, and passwordless admin access without operational complexity.

It’s especially valuable for security-focused teams modernizing beyond legacy vault-based PAM solutions.