Periodic access review is a critical, but often underestimated, practice within the governance of identities and permissions. There is a lot of talk about complex technologies, sophisticated automation and integrated systems, but the most effective control often starts with a simple question: What does each user really need to access to fulfill their role?

The Periodic Access Review, or simply PAR, aims to ensure that the accesses granted to employees, third parties and providers are in accordance with the real assignments of each function. It is a control that is simple to understand, but powerful in preventing operational, financial and information security risks.

Contrary to popular perception, implementing an effective periodic review does not require expensive tools or overly technical processes. Most companies can start with resources already available, such as spreadsheets, internal systems and the engagement of those responsible for the areas. With discipline and clarity, the review cycle becomes natural and consistent — and with that, organizations better protect themselves against errors, abuses and nonconformities.

The basis of control: what makes revision so essential?

Access management is, by definition, preventive control. However, in dynamic environments, where processes change frequently and people enter and leave the company, it is natural that the ideal access scenario deteriorates over time. In this context, PAR acts as a compensatory control: it corrects deviations and restores the integrity of the permission matrix.

It is important to remember that this control also helps to compensate for possible failures in practices such as the timely revocation of access and the segregation of functions. If an employee has been disconnected and their account has not been deactivated, or if someone has started accumulating conflicting permissions, it is in the periodic review that these points can (and should) be identified.
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A simpler process than you imagine

Although automated solutions facilitate this work on a large scale, it is fully feasible to carry out a review campaign manually. It starts with the extraction of the active user base and their respective accesses. Then, this base is compared with the matrix of responsibilities or segregation of functions. The next step is validation, in which managers review and confirm (or revoke) the accesses of their subordinates.

The secret to making this process work is in the structure. A clear roadmap, with well-defined deadlines, defined responsibilities and documented checkpoints, already ensures much of the effectiveness of the review. The recommendation, for companies looking for scalability, is to evolve to tools that automate these steps, integrate data from multiple systems and offer reliable audit trails.
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Direct connection to user certification

As already discussed in the article User Access Review Campaigns: An Essential Guide, access certification goes beyond a simple checklist. This is a detective check that helps to correct distortions in the permission matrix and restore the principle of least privilege. Both practices, PAR and certification campaigns, complement and reinforce each other, creating a robust layer of protection.

More than meeting requirements of standards such as SOX, PCI DSS or NIST, these actions position the company as the protagonist of its own security, assuming a preventive posture, aligned with good governance practices.
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Don't wait for the next audit to take action

In a corporate environment, every unauthorized access maintained for one more day represents an open vulnerability. It is in this context that the periodic review assumes a strategic role: it not only reduces risks, but also demonstrates organizational maturity before auditors, boards and the market.

Organizations that incorporate PAR into their governance cycle stop treating security as something one-off and start operating with continuous resilience. It is not just a matter of meeting a regulatory requirement, but of protecting the integrity of processes, information and the reputation of the company.

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