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Access Control and Authorization Policy

Policy Status: Draft

This policy is currently draft.

Purpose

To ensure that only authorized individuals have access to Acme Corp's systems and data, minimizing unauthorized access risks through role-based access controls and the principle of least privilege.

Scope

This policy applies to all accounts, systems, applications, and data managed by Acme Corp, including all employees, contractors, vendors, and third parties requiring system access.

Policy Statement

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Access Principles: - Access granted based on job roles and business need-to-know - Principle of least privilege applied to all access grants - Default deny approach - no access unless explicitly authorized - Separation of duties for sensitive functions - Just-in-time access for temporary elevated privileges

Role Definitions: - Standard roles defined for common job functions - Custom roles created for unique requirements - Permissions mapped to specific systems and data - Role documentation maintained and accessible - Periodic review and update of role definitions

Access Request and Approval

Request Process: - Formal request submitted through IT ticketing system - Manager approval required for all access requests - Data owner approval required for sensitive data access - Executive approval for administrative or privileged access - Documented business justification required

Provisioning: - Access granted within 1 business day of approval - Minimum necessary access provisioned - Temporary access has defined expiration date - Access activation logged and auditable - User notified upon access grant

Access Reviews

Review Frequency: - Quarterly access reviews for all users - Monthly reviews for administrative and privileged accounts - Review triggered by role changes or transfers - Ad-hoc reviews for security concerns

Review Process: - System owners review access lists - Managers certify team member access is appropriate - Unused or excessive permissions removed - Non-compliant access escalated and remediated - Review results documented and tracked

Temporary and Remote Access

Temporary Access: - Granted for specific time-limited needs (contractors, projects, etc.) - Maximum duration of 90 days (renewable with justification) - Automatic expiration and notification - Review and reauthorization required for extension - Immediate revocation when no longer needed

Remote Access: - Google Workspace SSO with 2FA required for all remote access - Context-aware access controls based on device compliance and location - Access limited to authorized personnel - Remote access permissions reviewed quarterly - Session logging and monitoring enabled through Google Workspace - Secure remote access through SSO-integrated applications only

Administrative and Privileged Access

Privileged Account Management: - Separate administrative accounts from standard user accounts - Privileged accounts used only when elevated access required - Enhanced monitoring and logging for privileged activities - Privileged access session recording where applicable - Annual background checks for users with privileged access

Service Accounts: - Documented purpose and owner for each service account - Strong, unique passwords stored in secure vault - No interactive login permitted - Regular review and recertification - Immediate change when personnel turnover

Roles and Responsibilities

Role Responsibility
IT Security Team Manage access permissions, conduct periodic reviews, enforce policy, monitor access
IT Operations Provision and de-provision access, maintain access control systems, support access requests
Managers Approve access requests for team members, notify IT of role changes, certify access during reviews
Data Owners Approve access to sensitive data, define access requirements, validate business need
Employees Request access through proper channels, use access appropriately, report anomalies
Compliance Team Audit access controls, validate policy compliance, review access reports

Procedures

1. Access Request

  1. User or manager submits access request via IT portal
  2. Include: system/app name, level of access needed, business justification, duration
  3. Request routed to appropriate approvers
  4. Manager approval obtained
  5. Data owner approval obtained (if applicable)
  6. IT provisions access upon all approvals
  7. User receives notification with access details

2. Access Modification

  1. Submit request for access increase or change
  2. Follow same approval process as new access
  3. Document reason for modification
  4. Remove old access if no longer needed
  5. Update user record in identity management system

3. Access Revocation

  1. Manager or HR notifies IT of termination/role change
  2. IT disables/removes access per timeline (immediate for termination)
  3. Retrieve or wipe company devices
  4. Reset passwords on shared accounts
  5. Document completion of access removal

4. Quarterly Access Review

  1. IT generates access reports by system and manager
  2. Managers review and certify access for each team member
  3. Mark inappropriate access for removal
  4. IT remediates within 5 business days
  5. Escalate non-responsive managers to department heads
  6. Document review completion and findings

5. Emergency Access

  1. Emergency access requests submitted to IT Security
  2. Verbal approval from CTO or CISO required
  3. Access granted with enhanced logging
  4. Follow-up written approval within 24 hours
  5. Access reviewed and removed when emergency resolved

Exceptions

  • Break-glass accounts for emergency access (with extensive logging)
  • Temporary elevated access for specific maintenance activities
  • Legacy systems awaiting RBAC implementation (with compensating controls)
  • All exceptions documented with:
  • Business justification
  • Compensating controls
  • Approval from IT leadership and CISO
  • Review schedule and remediation timeline

Compliance and Enforcement

  • Access Review Completion: 100% of systems reviewed quarterly
  • Access Provisioning SLA: 95% of requests processed within 1 business day
  • Terminated User Access: 100% removed within 4 hours of notification
  • Privileged Account Review: Monthly review of all privileged accounts
  • Audit Logging: All access grant/revoke actions logged and retained for 1 year
  • Non-Compliance: Unauthorized access results in immediate suspension and investigation
  • Excessive Access: Removed within 5 business days of identification

References

  • NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: Access Control (AC Family)
  • HIPAA Security Rule - Access Control (§164.308(a)(3), §164.308(a)(4), §164.312(a))
  • SOC 2 Trust Service Criteria - Logical Access Controls
  • CIS Controls v8 - Control 6: Access Control Management
  • ISO/IEC 27001:2013 - A.9 Access Control

Revision History

Version Date Author Changes
1.0 2025-11-08 IT Security Team Initial version migrated from Notion

Document Control - Classification: Internal/Confidential - Distribution: All employees, managers, IT staff - Storage: GitHub repository - policy-repository