Smallstep is a certificate management and device identity platform that helps organizations automate encryption, authentication, and access control across devices, users, and workloads. It provides a unified approach to establishing digital trust using cryptographic certificates rather than passwords or shared secrets.
Smallstep is designed for IT, security, and DevOps teams that manage distributed infrastructure across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud environments. It supports use cases such as device identity verification, Wi-Fi and VPN access control, SSH access management, and secure workload communication.
Core Capabilities
Certificate Authority and Lifecycle Automation: Step CA Pro serves as an enterprise-grade Certificate Authority (CA) supporting automated issuance, renewal, and revocation of X.509 and SSH certificates. It includes high-availability deployment options, registration authority mode, active revocation (OCSP), and integration with existing PKI and CLM platforms.
Device Identity Management: Uses ACME Device Attestation (ACME DA), developed in collaboration with Google and Apple, to verify device authenticity through hardware-backed cryptographic attestation.
Hardware-Bound Credentials: Leverages Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) and Secure Enclaves to generate and store private keys that cannot be exported or cloned.
Zero Trust Enablement: Integrates with major identity and device management systems such as Okta, Jamf, Intune, and Workspace ONE to provide certificate-based authentication for Zero Trust network access.
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Supports macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and ChromeOS devices for unified management across heterogeneous environments.
Common Use Cases
Managing device-based authentication for Wi-Fi (WPA3 Enterprise / EAP-TLS) and VPNs
Automating TLS certificates for internal applications, databases, and APIs
Enabling SSH access with short-lived certificates tied to user and device identity
Implementing hardware-backed credentials for Zero Trust architectures
By replacing password- or token-based authentication with certificate-based verification, Smallstep helps organizations enforce strong cryptographic assurance across devices and systems, improving security posture while reducing administrative overhead.
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SmallstepProduct Description
End-to-end encryption for distributed applications and the people who manage them. Single sign-on SSH for the masses.
Overview by
Cass Fultz
