Unit 7: Configure recurring access reviews

Purpose of this unit

Access is not static. Users change roles, projects end, and external collaborations expire. Recurring access reviews ensure that access is revalidated regularly, not just once.

This unit focuses on automating periodic reviews so access remains:

• Appropriate.
• Time-bound.
• Continuously governed.

What are recurring access reviews?

Recurring access reviews are access reviews that:

• Run automatically on a defined schedule.
• Notify reviewers at the start of each cycle.
• Enforce decisions consistently across time.

Instead of creating individual reviews repeatedly, administrators define a review series with recurrence settings.

Why recurring access reviews are important

Lifecycle management

Everything that starts must eventually end:

• Employment.
• Projects.
• Partner collaborations.
• Temporary privileges.

Recurring reviews ensure:

• Access is not permanently granted by mistake.
• Owners regularly confirm access is still required.
• Permissions are not excessive or stale.

Security and compliance benefits

Recurring reviews:

• Support Zero Trust principles.
• Enforce least privilege continuously.
• Provide evidence for audits and compliance.
• Reduce long-term risk caused by forgotten access.

Recurrence configuration options

When configuring a recurring access review, you define:

• Review name – Identifies the review series.
• Start date – When the first review begins.
• Frequency:
• Weekly
• Monthly
• Quarterly
• Semi-annually
• Annually
• Duration – How long each review stays open.
• End date – When the review series stops (optional).

Each recurrence runs as a new review instance with its own decisions and audit trail.

Reviewer experience in recurring reviews

At the start of each recurrence:

• Reviewers receive notifications (if enabled).
• Reviewers:
• Approve access.
• Deny access.
• Accept system recommendations.
• Decisions are tracked per review cycle.

Reviewers do not need to be reconfigured each time unless the review definition changes.

Automation and recurrence (key connection to Unit 6)

Recurring access reviews are most effective when combined with:

• Auto apply results.
• System recommendations.

This ensures:

• Access is removed even if reviewers don’t respond.
• Governance continues without manual intervention.
• Long-term access drift is eliminated.

Common use cases for recurring access reviews

Use recurring access reviews when:

• Reviewing access to sensitive applications.
• Governing external (guest) user access.
• Reviewing group memberships tied to business roles.
• Validating privileged role assignments.
• Managing access packages with expiration requirements.

Exam and real-world focus points

Key ideas to remember:

• Recurring access reviews enforce continuous governance, not one-time validation.
• They reduce administrative overhead.
• They are essential for lifecycle-based access control.
• They align with compliance, audits, and Zero Trust strategy.

Common mistake:

• Running one-time reviews and assuming access remains correct indefinitely.