Privileged Access Management (PAM) Capabilities That Define What Good Looks Like
The Smart Access PAM Capability Framework provides a comprehensive overview of the standards for effective Privileged Access Management—and guidance on how to establish it.
Why PAM Capabilities Matter
Most Privileged Access Management (PAM) programs fail not due to a lack of tools, but due to a lack of structure.
The Smart Access PAM Capability Framework defines the core building blocks of control — what your organisation must be able to do to protect privileged access effectively.
In business terms, a capability is the combination of people, processes, and technology that consistently delivers a specific outcome, such as preventing unauthorised privileged access.
For example, a mature capability in action might look like:
“Automated discovery of privileged access; integrated with PAM and IAM tools.”
This goes beyond tools and policies — it's about having measurable, repeatable control in place.
The Capability Framework gives you a clear answer to the strategic question:
“What does good look like for privileged access?”
And it enables you to:
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Understand which PAM capabilities you currently have (and where they fall short)
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Prioritise which areas need investment based on risk
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Align stakeholders using a common language of capability and outcome
This is how leaders move from ad-hoc controls to operational excellence in privileged access management.
Built on NIST CSF 2.0
The Smart Access PAM Capability Framework aligns each PAM capability to one or more functions of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0 (Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover)
It includes over 56 defined controls, mapped directly to these NIST CSF 2.0 core functions, providing a structured, standards-based foundation for privileged access.
This ensures your program is standardised, auditable, and regulator-ready — while remaining practical for implementation.
Why this PAM Framework works
The Smart Access PAM Capability Framework:
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Replaces ambiguity with a shared understanding of what good looks like
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Provides a clear structure for program design, measurement, and accountability
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Supports cross-functional alignment between security, IT, risk, and audit
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Enables modular improvement across each PAM capability area
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Scales with your Zero Trust strategy and operating model
It’s not vendor-dependent. It’s outcome-focused.
Business Impact
This capability-led approach helps cyber leaders:
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Reduce the complexity of fragmented PAM tools
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Prioritise investment based on risk and gaps
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Prove progress to stakeholders and auditors
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Embed security in day-to-day access decisions
If you're building, improving, or rebooting your PAM strategy — this is your foundation.
The Smart Access PAM Capability Framework
Each capability pillar is mapped to NIST CSF 2.0 and designed to guide execution, assessment, and prioritisation. Together, they form your privileged access control strategy.
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Visibility & Governance (Core) - Discover, classify, and govern all privileged identities and access paths
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Access Control & Enforcement - Enforce who can access what, when, where, and how
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Monitoring & Detection - Continuously observe and alert on privileged activity and threat indicators
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Policy Compliance & Reporting - Demonstrate compliance, reduce audit fatigue, and close control gaps
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Identity Lifecycle Integration - Align access provisioning and removal to joiner/mover/leaver events
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Culture & Operating Model - Operationalise PAM through ownership, accountability, and repeatable processes
These six PAM capabilities give you a complete picture of control effectiveness — allowing you to start where the risk is highest, and grow maturity over time.
Explore the PAM Maturity Framework
Ready to translate capabilities into a phased roadmap?
See how the Smart Access PAM Maturity Framework enables risk-based transformation.