Security Architecture
Security is not a question of individual products, but of a coherent architecture. PAM Xpert develops security architectures that position PAM and IAM as structural foundations of a zero trust strategy.
Zero Trust Architecture — more than a buzzword
Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) is a security paradigm standardised by NIST in Special Publication 800-207 that completely replaces implicit trust in network zones and continuously verifies every access based on identity, device state and context.
NIST’s seven ZTA principles include: all resources are treated as requiring protection regardless of network location; communication is always secured; access is granted per session; access policies are based on dynamic context factors; assets are continuously monitored; authentication and authorisation are dynamic.
PAM is not an optional add-on here, but a structural foundation of the identity pillar. Privileged identities — the highest-risk identity category — must experience the strictest ZTA controls.
CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model Version 2.0 treats access management as a core function of the identity pillar and defines least-privilege enforcement as a fundamental maturity criterion — from “Traditional” through “Initial” and “Advanced” to “Optimal.” PAM implementations are directly linked to advancement on the CISA maturity scale.
Our security architecture services
Zero Trust Architecture Design
Development of a ZTA target architecture: identity pillar (PAM, IAM, MFA), device pillar (endpoint security, MDM), network pillar (microsegmentation, ZTNA), application pillar (CASB, API security), data pillar (classification, DLP). PAM Xpert designs the identity pillar and its integration into the overall ZTA.
Least Privilege Architecture
Operational implementation of least privilege across all layers: OS (removal of local admin rights), directory services (AD tiering model, RBAC), applications (minimally privileged service accounts), cloud (IAM policies by least privilege in AWS/Azure/GCP, JIT role assignments).
Active Directory Tiering and Hardening
Active Directory is the backbone of most enterprise identity architectures and the most common target for lateral movement attacks. PAM Xpert designs and implements AD tiering models (Tier 0: domain controllers, Tier 1: servers, Tier 2: workstations), PAW concepts and AD hardening measures.
Cloud IAM Architecture (AWS, Azure, GCP)
PAM Xpert designs cloud IAM architectures with least-privilege principles, JIT role assignments (Azure PIM), workload identity federation and integration of cloud access into the PAM vault.
Architecture consulting
PAM Xpert develops security architectures that stand the test of time — technically sound, regulatory-compliant, operationally deliverable.