Access Reviews

Pruning Access Sprawl

Access Reviews, also known as Access Certifications, are the defensive mechanisms used to combat “Access Creep”—the natural tendency for users to accumulate permissions as they change roles or work on temporary projects. By requiring periodic validation of entitlements, organizations ensure that access doesn’t outlive its business necessity. This process is not just a compliance requirement (SOX, HIPAA); it is a critical security control that systematically reduces the organization’s internal attack surface.

REVIEW

Access Certification

Core Mission

Validation of Continued Need. Forcing a recurring "human-in-the-loop" decision point where access is explicitly re-justified, rather than being left active by default.

Like a Security Trim: In a well-managed garden, you don't just plant new trees; you must regularly prune the overgrowth to keep the paths clear and the garden healthy. An Access Review is the seasonal pruning that removes old, dead-end permissions so the overall security "garden" remains manageable and safe.

SOX Compliance / Privileged Access Audit / Role Hygiene

Review Strategy Matrix

Different types of access require different reviewers and frequencies to balance security with operational burden.

Strategic Review Comparison

Type	Reviewer	Focus Area	Frequency	Risk Level
Manager Review	Direct Supervisor	General role-based access.	Quarterly	Medium
Resource Review	Resource Owner	Sensitive data/app access.	Quarterly	High
Privileged Review	Security/Audit	Root, Admin, Global permissions.	Monthly	Maximum
Self-Attestation	The User	Low-risk, non-sensitive access.	Annually	Low

The Campaign Lifecycle

A high-assurance access review campaign follows a structured workflow that ensures every single permission is accounted for and remediated.

1

Scope & Schedule

Identify the resources and users in scope. Define the "Certification Window" (e.g., 2 weeks) and assign reviewers (Managers or App Owners).

2

Attest & Decide

Reviewers log into the portal and make a "Keep" or "Revoke" decision for each entitlement, providing justifications for sensitive access.

3

Remediate & Close

Once the campaign ends, any access marked for "Revocation" is automatically stripped via API. A final "Certificate of Completion" is generated for auditors.

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Technical Governance Deep-Dives

Master the patterns for implementing automated and high-fidelity access reviews.

IGA Framework

Building the foundational orchestration layer for all identity governance activities.

Least Privilege

Using reviews as the primary tool for right-sizing role-based and fine-grained permissions.

SoD Analysis

Detecting toxic combinations of permissions during the certification process.

Audit Evidence

Exporting cryptographically signed review logs for external compliance auditors.

Next Steps

• Explore Role Mining to automate the creation of suggestible review profiles.
• Review Identity Analytics for highlighting “outlier” access to reviewers.
• Check Termination Workflows for ensuring immediate revocation upon offboarding.