Why User Access Reviews Matter

2 July 2026

User accounts, permissions and licences often build up quietly over time. As organisations grow, employees change roles, contractors come and go, and new applications are introduced, access rights can easily become outdated.

Without regular reviews, environments become increasingly complex, difficult to manage and, most importantly, riskier from a security and compliance perspective.

For businesses operating within the financial sector, where data protection, governance and regulatory obligations are paramount, user access reviews should be a routine part of IT and cybersecurity management.

Why Access Management Matters

Access control is one of the most important components of an organisation's security posture.

Employees need the right tools and permissions to perform their roles effectively, but over time it is common for access privileges to expand without being reassessed.

This can result in individuals retaining permissions they no longer require, creating unnecessary exposure to sensitive systems and information.

For regulated firms, poor access management can lead to:

• Increased cybersecurity risk
• Greater exposure to insider threats
• Difficulties demonstrating compliance
• Challenges during audits
• Higher software licensing costs
• Reduced visibility over who has access to critical data

The principle of least privilege, ensuring users only have access to what they genuinely need, is widely recognised as good security practice and supports stronger operational controls.

A Real-World Example

This was exactly the situation we encountered with a newly onboarded client.

As part of our initial review, we assessed their user accounts, permissions and Microsoft 365 environment to gain a clearer understanding of how access was being managed.

The Challenge

During the assessment, we identified several areas that required attention, including:

• Disabled staff accounts that were still consuming licences
• Shared mailboxes with no clear ownership or accountability
• Users who retained access to systems and data they no longer required
• No documented process for onboarding new employees or removing access when staff left the business

Individually these issues may appear minor, but collectively they increase operational complexity and introduce avoidable security risks.

Over time, these situations can become difficult to track, particularly in organisations experiencing growth, restructuring or changes in personnel.

Why This Creates Risk

Former employees with active accounts, excessive permissions and unmanaged shared resources can create vulnerabilities that organisations may not even realise exist.

Some common concerns include:

Excessive Permissions

Employees often receive additional access as responsibilities evolve. However, permissions are not always removed when duties change.

This can result in users having access to information, applications or systems beyond what is necessary for their current role.

Orphaned Accounts

Accounts belonging to former employees, contractors or temporary workers can remain active for months or even years.

If left unmanaged, these accounts can become attractive targets for attackers.

Compliance Challenges

Financial organisations are expected to maintain appropriate controls around access to systems and data.

Being able to demonstrate who has access, why they have access and when permissions were last reviewed is increasingly important for governance, risk management and audit readiness.

Unnecessary Costs

Unused licences, inactive accounts and redundant services can lead to avoidable expenditure.

Regular reviews often uncover opportunities to reduce costs while improving visibility and control.

What We Did

As part of the onboarding process, we carried out a full review of users, permissions and account management procedures.

This included:

• Reviewing all user accounts and assigned permissions
• Identifying and removing inactive or unnecessary accounts
• Archiving accounts where appropriate to preserve historical data
• Standardising access based on specific job roles
• Establishing ownership for shared mailboxes
• Documenting clear joiner, mover and leaver processes
• Reviewing licensing allocation to eliminate waste

By introducing consistency and clear processes, access management becomes significantly easier to maintain over the long term.

The Outcome

The client now has confidence that only the right people have access to the right systems.

Their environment is easier to manage, licensing is more efficient and access decisions are supported by documented processes.

More importantly, they have improved visibility over their user estate and greater assurance that security and governance controls are operating effectively.

How Often Should Access Reviews Take Place?

For most organisations, user access reviews should be conducted regularly rather than only when issues arise.

Depending on the nature of the business, reviews may be appropriate:

• Monthly for highly sensitive systems
• Quarterly for core business applications
• Following organisational changes
• After staff departures
• Before audits or compliance assessments

Access management should be viewed as an ongoing process rather than a one-off exercise.

How Maple Can Help

At Maple, we regularly support financial services firms and other regulated businesses with user access reviews as part of onboarding, cybersecurity assessments and ongoing managed IT services.

We help organisations gain greater visibility over their environments by reviewing permissions, identifying unnecessary access, optimising licensing and implementing practical processes for joiners, movers and leavers.

By taking a proactive approach to access management, businesses can reduce risk, improve operational efficiency and strengthen their overall security posture.

Sometimes the simplest improvements can have the greatest impact, and ensuring the right people have access to the right systems at the right time is one of them.