Performing Privileged Account Access Review

Overview

Privileged Account Access Review is a critical identity governance process that validates whether users with elevated permissions still require their access. This review covers domain admins, service accounts, database administrators, cloud IAM roles, and application-level privileged accounts. Regular access reviews are mandated by SOC 2, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and SOX compliance frameworks, typically required quarterly for high-privilege accounts.

When to Use

• When conducting security assessments that involve performing privileged account access review
• When following incident response procedures for related security events
• When performing scheduled security testing or auditing activities
• When validating security controls through hands-on testing

Prerequisites

• PAM solution deployed (CyberArk, BeyondTrust, Delinea, or equivalent)
• Identity governance platform (SailPoint, Saviynt, or equivalent)
• Complete inventory of privileged accounts across all platforms
• Defined access review policy with SLAs and escalation procedures
• Designated reviewers (account owners, managers, security team)

Core Concepts

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