Access Review Log
Track access review findings, approvals, removals, and exceptions.
Purpose
Access work should always connect a person, role, system, approval basis, review date, and removal path. The highest-risk failure is stale privilege that nobody notices because the original request looked legitimate.
Operating record
| Cadence | Set a normal review interval and event-driven trigger. |
|---|---|
| Owner | Identify the role accountable for keeping access review log current. |
| Source data | List the systems, logs, reports, tickets, or records used during review. |
| Findings | Record exceptions, decisions, blockers, risk changes, and follow-up actions. |
| Evidence | Keep the smallest durable proof that the review occurred and produced a result. |
When to use
- When the work repeats often enough that memory is no longer reliable.
- When more than one person may request, perform, review, or inherit the work.
- When risk, approval, evidence, or handoff needs to be visible later.
Common failure modes
- Access remains after role change or departure.
- Reviewers approve names without confirming business need.
- Exceptions are granted but never revisited.
Review guidance
Review this page after a material incident, after a role or system change, and on a normal cadence appropriate to its risk. During review, check whether the owner is still correct, whether inputs are still complete, whether the output is still useful, and whether related pages need updates.
External guidance
These resources are references for terminology, control thinking, or review design. DailyWF adapts the ideas into lightweight operating pages rather than reproducing full standards.
- NIST SP 800-63-4 Digital Identity GuidelinesIdentity proofing, authentication, and federation guidance.
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 control catalogSecurity and privacy control language useful when translating operating work into controls.
- CIS Critical Security Controls v8Prioritized safeguards for common enterprise security risks.