Most access risk is not from sophisticated exploits. It is from routine over-permission that accumulates over time.
1) Inventory identities and privilege tiers
Document human users, service accounts, integrations, and admin roles across email, cloud, endpoints, and business applications.
2) Remove dormant and duplicate access
Disable stale accounts, remove shared credentials, and revoke leftover vendor or contractor access.
3) Separate admin and daily-use accounts
Admins should use dedicated privileged accounts for admin actions and standard accounts for everyday work.
4) Align permissions to role, not person
Use role-based access groups and avoid one-off grants that are never reviewed again.
5) Add approval and expiration for elevated access
Require approval for privileged changes and set expiration windows for temporary access.
6) Log and review high-risk actions
Track admin sign-ins, policy changes, and data export behavior. Review these logs on a routine cadence.
7) Run quarterly access reviews
Quarterly reviews prevent privilege drift and keep identity risk aligned with real business responsibilities.