Security & Compliance

  • 10 min read

6 Best Approaches For An Effective User Access Review

Rohit Rao

4th September, 2023

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The significance of user access review (UAR) in cybersecurity has taken center stage. As IT managers increasingly rely on intricate networks, software, and cloud-based platforms to manage their data, ensuring that the right individuals have appropriate access privileges and monitoring their activities has become critical.

User access review stands as a proactive measure designed to uphold the principles of least privilege and data security. It involves meticulously evaluating user permissions, privileges, and roles within an organization's digital environment. 

By scrutinizing and validating user access, you can identify and rectify potential security vulnerabilities, prevent unauthorized data exposure, and fortify their defense mechanisms against cyber threats. 

This process is not just a compliance requirement but a strategic practice that aligns with modern cybersecurity paradigms, aiming to strike a balance between usability and robust protection.

By comprehending the significance of UAR in safeguarding sensitive information, mitigating insider threats, and ensuring regulatory compliance, you can embrace a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity that encompasses both technological advancements and human-centric strategies.

Top 6 Approaches for Conducting an Effective User Access Review

The following are the top six approaches for carrying out an effective user access review process:

1. Establishing & updating access management policy

A well-crafted access management policy is the guardian of valuable data and operational consistency. This policy isn't just a set of guidelines; it's the cornerstone for assigning, adjusting, and revoking access rights — a vital element of data security and compliance.

Think of the access management policy as a playbook for user access in your organization’s SaaS landscape. It outlines who can access specific resources and under what conditions. By establishing this policy, you're not just establishing a framework for secure operations, but also paving the way for seamless user access reviews. 

For instance, consider a scenario where a vendor needs access to a shared project folder. The policy outlines the steps to grant access promptly while upholding security protocols.

As access rights are granted, modified, or withdrawn, the policy directs the process, ensuring uniformity across your business interactions. The policy's guidance ensures that the review process is standardized, reducing the risk of oversights or security gaps.

2. Integrate a well-defined access review procedure into the access management policy

You establish a seamless connection between strategy and implementation by aligning your access review procedure with your access management policy. Your access management policy outlines the overarching principles and guidelines for governing access rights across your organization. 

Integrating a structured review process directly into this policy strengthens the enforcement of your security measures while minimizing the potential for lapses.

Key integration benefits:

• Risk Mitigation: A systematic access review procedure minimizes unauthorized access and internal threats, fortifying your security stance.

• Regulatory Adherence: Integration addresses compliance mandates (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA), simplifying audits and curtailing compliance-related risks.

• Accountability Boost: Transparent documentation of access reviews and alterations fosters accountability across your organization.

In summation, your role as IT manager mandates upholding your organization's data security and compliance standards. Integrating a well-defined access review procedure into your access management policy empowers you to proactively manage access privileges, reduce risks, ensure compliance, and foster a culture of accountability.

3. Leveraging role based access control (RBAC) & upholding the principle of least privilege (POLP)

Role-based access control (RBAC) stands as a cornerstone in the domain of access management. Unlike conventional access control models, RBAC offers a nuanced approach by associating permissions directly with predefined job roles within an organization. This methodology eliminates the pitfalls of granting excessive access rights to users and mitigates the potential risks stemming from unauthorized data exposure.

By designating specific roles, such as administrators, analysts, and developers, RBAC effectively segregates access permissions according to functional responsibilities. This simplifies access provisioning and tracking and aligns with industry best practices for minimizing the potential avenues for data breaches and unauthorized actions.

In cooperation with RBAC, the principle of least privilege (POLP) reinforces your organization's cybersecurity posture. POLP operates on a simple yet compelling premise: grant users the minimal level of access required to perform their tasks. This approach directly contradicts the traditional method of assigning overly permissive access rights, which often leads to unmanageable complexities in access control.

By adhering to POLP, you establish a strict boundary that curtails unnecessary access, thereby significantly reducing the attack surface available to potential threat actors. POLP ensures that, even in the event of a breach, the compromised user accounts possess limited permissions, mitigating attackers' potential damage and lateral movement.

When combined, RBAC and POLP create a robust framework orchestrating access privileges with unparalleled precision. RBAC's role-specific access assignment harmonizes seamlessly with POLP's principle of conferring only essential permissions, culminating in a holistic defense against both internal and external security threats.

This integration streamlines access management by providing a clear roadmap to allocate permissions, simplifying audits, and enhancing compliance efforts. You can harness these strategies to strike a delicate balance between security and operational fluidity.

4. Prioritizing temporary access over permanent access

Permanent access rights, although seemingly convenient, introduce a range of risks that can undermine an organization's security posture:

• Accumulated privileges: Long-term access can escalate permissions that outstrip current roles. This accumulation sets the stage for unauthorized actions and potential data leaks.

• Manual oversight dependency: With permanent access, manual monitoring becomes a necessity. This reliance invites delays and oversights, exposing vulnerabilities.
  
  On the contrary, temporary access, grounded in time-bound requirements, not only aligns with the principle of least privilege but also offers several advantages over permanent access. By adopting temporary access as the preferred approach, you and your teams can:

• Mitigate insider threats: The preeminent challenge of insider threats is best countered by limiting prolonged access. Temporary access enforces a principle of least privilege, curtailing unnecessary exposure and bolstering internal security.

• Defend against breaches: The vulnerabilities stemming from prolonged access are a magnet for malicious actors. Temporary access presents a narrower window of opportunity, reducing the potential for successful breaches and subsequent damage.
  
  The wisdom of favoring temporary access over permanent access is evident. This paradigm shift arms IT managers with a proactive defense against insider threats, data breaches, and regulatory non-compliance.

5. Empowering employees to promote data protection

To counteract the productivity-security paradox, clarity is vital. Bridge the understanding gap by articulating the reasons behind security measures. Help employees recognize that these measures are integral to safeguarding data and ensuring uninterrupted operations. 

Highlighting security benefits also creates a paradigm shift from obstruction to facilitation. A direct solution lies in involving employees in the access review process. You empower them by entrusting them with the responsibility of safeguarding access rights. This dual approach bolsters their sense of ownership and underscores the significance of controlled access to critical resources.

In addition, education is pivotal in fostering collaboration. Conduct focused training sessions and campaigns to elucidate the concrete advantages of adhering to security protocols. When employees grasp the direct link between their actions and the organization's security posture, they naturally become active stakeholders in fortification efforts.

Furthermore, involving employees in decision-making, like access reviews, elevates their engagement. This ownership mentality transcends compliance, evolving into a shared dedication to shield against cyber threats.

6. Communicating the purpose & importance of reviews

As an IT manager, effectively conveying the essence of access reviews holds the utmost importance in the modern business ecosystem. Your role in articulating their purpose and significance can significantly impact security and compliance measures. To cater to various stakeholder perspectives, consider these strategies:

• Craft tailored messages for different stakeholders: When addressing executives, emphasize how access reviews align with regulatory compliance, safeguarding the organization's reputation. For end-users, highlight how these reviews enhance seamless access while preserving data integrity. For IT teams, emphasize streamlined processes and reduced vulnerabilities.

• Align access reviews with broader business objectives: Emphasize how they contribute to compliance with industry standards and data protection regulations. By preventing unauthorized access, access reviews bolster data privacy and minimize the risk of breaches, ultimately safeguarding business continuity.

• Transparent communication builds understanding and encourages compliance: Discuss the potential risks of unmonitored access and illustrate the tangible benefits of access reviews through relatable examples. 
  
  For instance, consider a financial institution ensuring compliance with the payment card industry data security standard (PCI DSS) through rigorous access reviews, safeguarding sensitive customer information, and maintaining trust.
  
  As we've explored the foundational approaches for conducting effective user access reviews above, it's evident that a comprehensive and proactive strategy is essential to maintain security, compliance, and efficiency. While the discussed approaches lay the groundwork for successful access management, technology can be a powerful enabler to elevate these strategies to new heights. 
  
  Enter Zluri's identity governance and administration (IGA) platform – a cutting-edge solution designed to revolutionize your organization's approach to user access management.

Integrating Zluri's IGA Solution into Your User Access Review Strategy to Ensure Security & Efficiency

Traditional access reviews have often been a bottleneck, consuming hours of manual effort from administrators. This method's inefficiency risks data breaches and diverts valuable manpower away from core business initiatives. 

Zluri's IGA solution transforms this landscape by leveraging cutting-edge automation technology, empowering your teams with rapid, accurate, and comprehensive access reviews that bolster security while liberating your administrators to concentrate on strategic growth endeavors.

The cornerstone of Zluri's IGA success is its holistic and centralized approach. By consolidating all SaaS apps within your business ecosystem onto a single platform, Zluri provides an unprecedented vantage point. This panoramic perspective grants your IT teams complete visibility into user access across your SaaS stack. 

No more guesswork, no more disparate silos of data –just a clear, actionable overview that streamlines your user access review processes.

360-degree visibility: Unifying digital identities for comprehensive access insights

The cornerstone of Zluri's IGA lies in its ability to provide a unified view of your organization's digital identities. Instead of grappling with fragmented sources of information, our platform consolidates user access-related data into a user-friendly interface. 

With Zluri, you no longer have to manage multiple directories and disjointed identity repositories on your own. Rather, you'll have everything you need to comprehend access privileges and user activity at your fingertips.

• Access directory: Centralizing information for clarity

Imagine you're an IT admin responsible for managing user access across various systems, applications, and directories. Without a unified approach, you're constantly toggling between different platforms to review and adjust permissions. 

With Zluri's IGA solution, you gain a centralized dashboard that consolidates all user access information. This means you can quickly see which users have access to what resources, identify any overlaps or inconsistencies, and make necessary adjustments—all from a single interface. This unified view streamlines your workflow, saving you time and reducing the chances of oversight.

• Enhanced access privileges oversight

Zluri's unified access empowers your IT admins with unparalleled visibility, allowing them to manage user access privileges across the organization effectively. This heightened oversight facilitates the swift identification of potential access discrepancies and suspicious permissions, bolstering the organization's resilience against cyber threats. 

By maintaining a clear view of access privileges, you can adhere to the principle of least privilege, minimizing security risks and reducing the attack surface.

• Activity monitoring and instant alerts

Zluri's IGA solution proactively monitors user activity in real-time and triggers immediate alerts for unusual behavior or unauthorized access attempts. This vigilant alert system serves as an early warning mechanism, enabling prompt action against potential security risks. 

Your teams can rapidly investigate further, lock down the account if necessary, and prevent potential data breaches. This proactive approach minimizes the impact of security incidents and maintains the integrity of your organization's data.

Automated reviews: Harnessing automation for comprehensive reviews

Zluri's automated review capabilities redefine how you safeguard sensitive data and fortify your organization's security posture. The solution doesn't just meet regulatory requirements; it surpasses them. The power of automation ensures that every access point is diligently evaluated, reducing human error and ensuring airtight security.

Without automated reviews, assessing user access manually becomes a monumental task. Even if an employee inadvertently gains access to confidential customer data, with Zluri's automated reviews, such discrepancies are instantly flagged. This vigilance prevents data leaks and maintains compliance with industry regulations, ensuring that only authorized personnel handle sensitive information.

• Access rules for precision in access management

Consider a healthcare organization with multiple departments and varying data sensitivity levels. Implementing access rules through Zluri's solution means that a nurse won't have access to patient financial records, preventing potential breaches. 

Zluri's access rules feature empowers you to tailor access privileges to specific job functions, slashing the risk of unauthorized access. Instant reviews and validations against predefined criteria leave no room for doubt. This meticulous approach doesn't just enhance security; it nurtures compliance and shields your valuable assets.

• Scheduled certification for dynamic compliance assurance

Your security environment is dynamic, and so should be your access rights. Zluri automates system-generated reviews regularly, keeping your access rights in sync with your evolving security policies. The result? A consistent, compliant atmosphere mitigates the risk of breaches arising from outdated permissions. 

This proactive approach liberates your IT teams to focus on higher-order security tasks. Zluri's scheduled certification ensures that access rights are reviewed periodically. When employees move to a different department, their access permissions are adjusted, maintaining an up-to-date security landscape and minimizing the risk of industrial espionage.

• Auto-remediation capabilities for swift defenses in action

Zluri's secret weapon: auto-remediation. Zluri employs automated actions to pre-emptively manage potential risks, reinforcing your security posture. This automation empowers your IT team to respond swiftly to security threats, closing vulnerabilities before they're exploited. 

With Zluri's auto-remediation, the platform instantly detects and blocks malicious activity, preventing a potential data breach. The automated response not only thwarts the attack but also frees up the IT team to focus on identifying the source and strengthening defenses against future threats.

By weaving together the above features, Zluri's IGA platform offers a comprehensive solution for identity and access management. It's not just about enhancing security but empowering your teams to thrive in a secure environment. Compliance becomes a byproduct, and valuable assets remain safe from the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats. 

Intrigued? It's time to experience the transformation. Here’s how to automate user access reviews.  Zluri’s comprehensive ‘Access certification’ module has got you covered: 

• Step 1: To automate access reviews, access Zluri's main interface and navigate to the "Access certification" module. Within the module, select the option to create a ‘new certification.’

• Step 2: Assign a name to the certification and designate an owner who will oversee the automated access reviews.

• Step 3: Choose the preferred method of reviewing user access by exploring the options: Application, Users, and Groups.

• Step 4: Opt for the "Application" review method if desired and add the relevant application(s) to be audited for users' access. 

  

  

• Step 5: Select a primary reviewer and a fallback reviewer from the dropdown menu for the automated access reviews.

• Step 6: Select the users to be included in the automated access reviews process and apply data filtering to refine the user selection based on certification requirements.

  

  

• Step 7: Proceed to the next step and configure the actions to be performed during the automated access reviews, choosing from the provided dropdown list of actions.

Note: If there are multiple applications to be included in the same certification, repeat the process of adding applications as needed.

• Step 8: Specify the start and end dates for the automated access certification process, ensuring they align with recurring or scheduled certifications.

• Step 9: Save the configuration as a template for future use by clicking on the "Save Template" option.

• Step 10: Monitor the progress and updates of the automated access review process for the specific certification by regularly checking the "Review Stage" section.

In addition to the aforementioned benefits, Zluri's IGA solution offers several other advantages:

• Transformational Approach: Zluri's IGA solution introduces a transformative approach to user access reviews by consolidating access management into a unified platform. This simplifies the task of ensuring that the right individuals have appropriate access levels. Automated review mechanisms further enhance access privilege monitoring.

• Enhanced Security: Zluri's IGA solution acts as a protective shield for your organization's sensitive data. It provides comprehensive visibility and control over user access, empowering proactive prevention of security vulnerabilities. Timely identification of unusual access patterns and potential risks keeps your organization ahead of malicious actors.

• Efficiency Gains: Zluri's IGA solution delivers unmatched efficiency gains. It enables reviews at a remarkable 10 times faster rate and reduces effort by an impressive 70%. This optimization allows your team to redirect their efforts toward strategic initiatives, fostering growth and innovation.

• Strategic Asset: Zluri's IGA solution is more than just a tool; it's a strategic asset. It offers insightful analytics and actionable insights to make informed decisions. The ability to anticipate compliance issues, identify areas for improvement, and implement preemptive measures ensures that your organization stays ahead of compliance regulations and security challenges.
  
  Don't wait and take action today—book a demo now and witness firsthand how Zluri's IGA solution can revolutionize your user access review strategy.

About the author

Rohit Rao

Rohit works in the Community and Marketing Team of Zluri and is a strong advocate of community led growth.