CoreView Access Reviews provide organizations with a structured and repeatable way to monitor and manage user permissions within Microsoft 365 environments. This process is central to preserving the security and integrity of critical business resources. By periodically reviewing who has access to what, organizations can ensure that permissions are always appropriate, up-to-date, and in full compliance with both internal policies and external regulations such as NIST, ISO, or SOC2.
Why Access Reviews matter
Conducting regular access reviews significantly reduces security risks. By subjecting user access and permissions to formal, cyclical evaluation, organizations can identify outdated or excessive privileges and revoke them before they are exploited or become a compliance issue. This proactive approach directly supports ongoing regulatory compliance, keeping your security posture in continuous alignment with standards that govern your industry.
Beyond security and compliance, access reviews streamline operational efficiency as well. Automation plays a key role here—reviewer assignments, notifications, and reporting are handled by the system, reducing manual effort and minimizing the risk of oversight.
How Access Reviews work
1. Review creation by Tenant Admins
The process begins with tenant administrators, who take responsibility for launching each access review. They determine the scope of the review, deciding which resources—such as Teams, Groups, mailboxes, or other sensitive areas within Microsoft 365—will be examined. During this stage, administrators also appoint the individuals or groups who will act as reviewers, ensuring that the task is assigned to those with relevant oversight and authority.
2. Execution by assigned reviewers
Once the review is set up, the responsibility shifts to the assigned reviewers. Typically, these individuals are stakeholders, group owners, or managers who are best positioned to judge the necessity of permissions. Reviewers must assess user access and determine whether each individual actually requires the permissions they hold. Based on their judgment, they can approve, modify, or revoke access as needed, maintaining both security and operational effectiveness.
3. Templates and customization for diverse scenarios
To support different needs, CoreView offers both ready-made templates and customizable options, allowing organizations to conduct reviews on common scenarios such as:
- Teams or Microsoft 365 Group memberships
- Security groups
- Guest user access
- Mailbox permissions
Access Review lifecycle
The access review lifecycle is composed of several distinct phases:
- Initiation: the tenant admin sets up the review, clearly defining which resources are in scope and configuring essential settings such as timelines and notification preferences.
- Assignment: responsible reviewers—such as group owners or relevant stakeholders—are chosen and promptly notified of their roles in the upcoming review.
- Execution: the reviewers carefully evaluate user permissions and take appropriate actions where necessary. All changes remain pending until submission, preventing accidental or premature modifications.
- Monitoring: throughout the process, the progress of the review can be tracked using dashboards and visual indicators, helping administrators and reviewers keep the review on track.
- Logging: once the review is complete, comprehensive audit logs are generated and stored. These logs provide transparent records for compliance purposes and support future audits.
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