What is Access Review?
A periodic check that everyone has only the access they should - and nothing they should not.
Access Review: definition
Access accumulates over time - people change roles, projects end, but permissions linger, creating privilege creep and risk. An access review periodically confirms that every account has only the access it should, and revokes the rest. It enforces least privilege, catches orphaned and over-privileged accounts, and produces evidence auditors require. Frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001 expect regular access reviews, typically quarterly.
- Owners verify each user access against their current role
- Unneeded, orphaned, and over-privileged access is removed
- Enforces least privilege and curbs privilege creep
- A recurring SOC 2 and ISO 27001 control with required evidence
How Fintra handles it
Fintra AI governance treats access reviews as an owned, recurring control: the review cadence, the owner, and the evidence are tracked so the review actually happens on schedule rather than only at audit time. Access changes are recorded to a tamper-evident trail, and reviews cover non-human identities and AI agents, not just people.
- Access reviews scheduled as an owned, recurring control
- Human and non-human identities both reviewed
- Access changes and evidence logged for audit
Worked example
Frequently asked questions
How often should access reviews be performed?
Quarterly is a common cadence, with more sensitive systems reviewed more frequently and additional reviews triggered by role changes or departures. Frameworks like SOC 2 expect regular, evidenced reviews, so the schedule is often driven by both risk and audit requirements.
What is privilege creep?
The gradual accumulation of access rights as people change roles or join projects without old permissions being removed. Over time users end up with far more access than their current role needs, increasing risk. Access reviews exist to catch and reverse privilege creep.
What does an access review check?
That each account - human or machine - has only the access appropriate to its current role, and that no orphaned, excessive, or unnecessary access remains. Anything inappropriate is removed, and the review is documented as evidence that least privilege is enforced.
Should access reviews include service accounts and AI agents?
Yes. Non-human identities - service accounts, API keys, and AI agents - often hold significant access and are easy to overlook. Including them in access reviews is increasingly important as they proliferate, which is why Fintra covers both human and non-human identities.
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