Key Takeaways
- Pathlock’s Native Cyber Security and GRC Suite and Application Profiler have earned SAP Clean Core certification for RISE with SAP, confirming alignment with SAP’s extensibility and upgrade‑ready standards.
- The certification validates that Pathlock’s tools integrate directly with SAP environments without intrusive customizations, preserving the “clean core” needed for seamless future upgrades.
- Real‑time access governance, segregation‑of‑duties (SoD) controls, and continuous compliance monitoring are delivered while maintaining auditability and security during cloud transformation.
- By avoiding modifications to the SAP digital core, customers reduce operational risk, upgrade complexity, and technical debt when moving from legacy ECC to S/4HANA.
- The certified solutions are now listed in the SAP Certified Solutions Directory, giving enterprises a trusted path to secure, compliant S/4HANA migrations.
Introduction and Announcement
On May 21, 2026, Pathlock announced that its Native Cyber Security and GRC Suite together with the Application Profiler have received SAP Clean Core certification for use with RISE with SAP. The news was disseminated via PRNewswire from Denver, highlighting Pathlock’s position as a leader in Identity and Access Governance (IAG). Damon Tompkins, CEO of Pathlock, emphasized that the certification reflects the growing demand for security, upgradeability, and extensibility in modern enterprise landscapes. He noted that organizations today must move at the speed of business while remaining secure, agile, and fully auditable—requirements that Pathlock’s solutions are designed to satisfy.
Understanding SAP Clean Core
SAP’s Clean Core framework is a set of principles aimed at preserving the integrity of the SAP digital core by minimizing custom code and ensuring compatibility with future releases and innovations. As enterprises migrate from legacy, heavily customized ERP Central Component (ECC) systems to the cloud‑native S/4HANA suite, carrying over technical debt poses a significant risk. Clean Core encourages organizations to adopt standard SAP functionality, use approved extension points, and rely on certified partner solutions that do not modify the underlying core. This approach simplifies upgrades, reduces maintenance overhead, and accelerates innovation cycles.
Pathlock’s Alignment with Clean Core Principles
The SAP Clean Core certification confirms that Pathlock’s Native Cyber Security and GRC Suite and Application Profiler meet the program’s stringent criteria. Specifically, the solutions integrate directly with SAP environments while adhering to SAP’s extensibility standards, meaning they leverage sanctioned APIs, BAdIs, and extension points rather than inserting custom code into the core. This ensures that the SAP system remains “clean” and upgrade‑ready, allowing customers to apply SAP support packs and new features without encountering conflicts caused by unsanctioned modifications.
Real‑Time Access Governance and SoD Controls
A core capability of Pathlock’s offering is real‑time access governance, which continuously monitors user entitlements and triggers alerts when policy violations occur. The solution enforces segregation‑of‑duties (SoD) rules across modern SAP architectures, including S/4HANA, SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP), and hybrid landscapes. By providing instantaneous visibility into who can do what, Pathlock helps organizations prevent fraud, enforce least‑privilege principles, and maintain compliance with regulations such as SOX, GDPR, and HIPAA without delaying business processes.
Continuous Compliance Monitoring Without Intrusiveness
Traditional compliance tools often require deep customizations or invasive agents that can destabilize SAP systems. Pathlock’s approach sidesteps this issue by using non‑intrusive connectors that read configuration and transaction data through SAP‑approved interfaces. Continuous monitoring runs in the background, generating compliance evidence and audit trails while leaving the SAP core untouched. This method not only preserves system performance but also simplifies the audit process, as auditors can rely on consistent, certified data sources.
Maintaining Auditability and Security During Cloud Transformation
Migrating to RISE with SAP introduces new security challenges, particularly around identity federation, cloud‑based entitlements, and dynamic workload scaling. Pathlock’s suite provides unified visibility across on‑premise and cloud SAP instances, applying consistent security policies regardless of deployment model. By preserving auditability—through immutable logs, role‑based access reports, and automated attestation workflows—organizations can demonstrate compliance to regulators and internal stakeholders throughout the transformation journey.
Reducing Operational and Upgrade Risk
One of the most tangible benefits of the Clean Core certification is the reduction of operational risk associated with upgrades. Because Pathlock’s solutions do not modify the SAP digital core, customers avoid the costly and time‑consuming process of re‑testing custom code after each SAP support pack or version upgrade. This leads to faster upgrade cycles, lower total cost of ownership, and diminished risk of post‑upgrade disruptions. In essence, the certification helps enterprises keep their SAP landscape “evergreen” while still benefiting from advanced identity governance capabilities.
Availability and SAP Certification Directory
Pathlock Native Cyber Security and GRC Suite and Application Profiler are now listed in the SAP Certified Solutions Directory, a trusted marketplace where SAP customers can discover vetted, compatible applications. The certification was granted by the SAP Integration and Certification Center (SAP ICC), which evaluated the integration software for conformance with SAP’s clean‑core standards for RISE with SAP. This external validation provides assurance to procurement teams and IT leaders that the solutions have passed rigorous technical and functional assessments.
About Pathlock
Pathlock is recognized globally as a leader in Identity and Access Governance, helping enterprises secure complex application ecosystems and meet rigorous compliance mandates such as SOX, PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, ITAR, and EAR. The company’s fine‑grained identity security technology protects business‑critical applications by enforcing least‑privilege access, continuously monitoring risky activities, and automating compliance controls. By reducing manual effort and minimizing risk, Pathlock enables organizations to lower compliance costs, improve audit readiness, and focus on strategic business initiatives.
Trademark Notices and Legal Disclaimer
The press release includes standard trademark acknowledgments: SAP and related products are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. All other product and service names mentioned belong to their respective owners. For further details on SAP’s trademark policy, readers are directed to https://www.sap.com/copyright. Media inquiries should be addressed to Pathlock’s press contact at [email protected].
Conclusion
Pathlock’s SAP Clean Core certification marks a significant milestone for enterprises seeking to modernize their SAP environments without sacrificing security or compliance. By delivering native, non‑intrusive identity governance that aligns with SAP’s extensibility guidelines, Pathlock enables customers to accelerate their RISE with SAP journey, maintain an upgrade‑ready core, and confidently meet the evolving demands of digital transformation. The availability of these solutions in the SAP Certified Solutions Directory further simplifies adoption, offering a proven, trusted path to secure, compliant S/4HANA operations.