What is Access Recertification?


Protecting a company’s information assets is paramount in today’s interconnected digital world. One of the primary ways a company’s data can be compromised is through inappropriate access to resources. Inappropriate access can happen in many ways, from negligent employees accidentally exposing data to sophisticated cyber-attacks leveraging weak access controls to malicious insiders abusing their permissions.

What is Access Recertification?

User access recertification is the process that corrects unauthorized permissions of auditing users. Recertification in this context refers to periodically reviewing and confirming that users (employees, contractors, or other people using an organization’s systems) still require the access permissions that they currently have. This security framework makes sure that users have access only to what they need.

Read our article about access certification.

What is access recertification?

Access re-certification can be done by computer or manually. The primary step in access re-certification is to gather and analyze the account information of all the employees. Once the information is ready, explore the privileges each of the employees is given. Managers assess the employees’ authority and re-evaluate the certification given to all employees. There are various challenges in the process of evaluation. 

This is often a part of Identity and Access Management (IAM) practices in an organization, which aim to ensure that only the right people have access to the right resources at the correct times.

Here are the critical aspects of recertification:

  1. Target Types: User, Account, and Access are three recertification target types. In simple terms, the target type denotes what is being recertified. “User” recertification is for the roles, accounts, and groups linked with a particular user. “Account” recertification refers to verifying that a specific account is still needed, and “Access” recertification confirms that the system or data access level a user possesses is still appropriate.
  2. Recertification Policy: A recertification policy outlines the process, including how often recertification should happen and what actions should be taken if someone does not respond to or declines the recertification request.
  3. Workflow: The recertification process is handled through a workflow that automates the process, including sending notifications to relevant parties and generating to-do items for approval or rejection of recertification.
  4. Roles: Different roles within an organization can be responsible for managing recertification. For example, a system administrator could set up policies for all users, while service owners might set up policies for their specific services.
  5. ACI (Access Control Item): The ACI for a recertification policy controls who can view or modify the policy.

Overall, recertification aims to reduce the risk of inappropriate access to resources. For example, an employee who has changed roles might no longer need access to specific systems, or an account may no longer be used. Organizations can keep their systems more secure by regularly reviewing and confirming these access requirements.

Access recertification helps companies manage risks in a variety of ways:

  1. Detecting Inappropriate Access: By conducting periodic reviews, companies can uncover instances where users have inappropriate access, such as permissions too broad for their role or access to systems they no longer need.
  2. Reducing Insider Threats: Recertification can help limit the damage a disgruntled or rogue employee could cause. Keeping access permissions tight and relevant to each user’s job requirements reduces the opportunities for such users to misuse access.
  3. Identifying Unused Accounts: Recertification can detect accounts that are no longer in use (such as those of former employees), reducing the number of potential targets for attackers.
  4. Regulatory Compliance: Many regulations and standards require companies to have a process for regular review and adjustment of access rights. Recertification helps demonstrate compliance with these requirements.
  5. Improved Audit Capability: Recertification records who had access to what resources and when, which can be valuable during internal or external audits.
  6. Reducing the Risk of External Attacks: By limiting access rights to those necessary for each user, recertification reduces the ‘attack surface’ available to external hackers.
  7. Encouraging Good Security Hygiene: Regular recertification can encourage a culture of security awareness, making users more mindful of their access rights and responsibilities.
  8. Efficient Use of Resources: By identifying and removing unnecessary access, companies can potentially reduce costs (e.g., licenses for software) and improve system performance.
  9. Detecting and Correcting Errors: Recertification can help identify errors in access provisioning and correct them before they cause problems.
  10. Early Warning System: Recertification can act as an early warning system by identifying unusual patterns of access rights that might indicate a security vulnerability.

 

Conclusion

Access recertification is a critical process within a company’s Identity and Access Management (IAM) framework. By regularly reviewing and confirming the access permissions of users, companies can significantly reduce the risk of data breaches, misuse of systems, and other security incidents. It can also aid in regulatory compliance and facilitate internal and external audits by providing a clear record of access controls.

This process can help to uncover inappropriate access permissions, identify and deactivate unused accounts, and maintain good security hygiene. It limits the opportunity for internal employees to misuse their access and reduces the potential ‘attack surface’ for external threats.

From a resource management standpoint, access recertification can save costs by identifying unnecessary access and potential software license reduction. It can also improve system performance and help detect and correct access provisioning errors.

In conclusion, access recertification is a critical control mechanism that plays a vital role in maintaining the security and integrity of a company’s IT systems. Regular recertification promotes a culture of security awareness and demonstrates a company’s commitment to safeguarding its data, enhancing its reputation and trust among clients, partners, and regulators. It’s an essential aspect of any robust cybersecurity strategy.

Igor Milosevic
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