Half of your workforce has too many privileges. Do you know who they are?<\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Studies show that many employees retain access rights they no longer need. With every vacation cover, every project, and every role change, the gap between authorized and actual access rights widens. Anyone who tries to reconcile this using Excel spreadsheets wastes days and still misses something. We\u2019ll show you how reconciliation and recertification automate the comparison between authorized and actual access, so you can always demonstrate who has access to what. <\/p>\n<\/div>
Very few organizations could say off the top of their heads who in the company is actually authorized to access what. This question usually doesn\u2019t come up until things get awkward: during an audit, after an incident, or when someone resigns and it suddenly becomes apparent just how extensive their access rights were. <\/p>\n
The numbers behind this are troubling. In a survey by Ponemon and Varonis, 62 percent of employees reported having access to company data they weren\u2019t supposed to see. The Varonis Data Risk Report paints the same picture from the other side: On average, about one-fifth of all folders are accessible to every employee. Without an audit, it\u2019s impossible to say whether that figure is exactly half in your organization. And that\u2019s precisely the real problem. <\/p>\n<\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/www.bayoosoft.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/07\/BAYOOSOFT-soll-ist-abgleich-berechtigungen-reconciliation-rezertifizierung.jpg\" "\\"BAYOOSOFT")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>How Regular Employees Become Rights Holders<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>Hardly anyone is granted too many permissions all at once. It happens gradually. A project might require temporary access to an additional drive. When someone covers for a colleague on vacation, they take over that colleague\u2019s tasks and are granted the corresponding permissions. When someone changes departments, new permissions are added, but the old ones carry over. <\/p>\n
Every single assignment of privileges is justified and appropriate. The problem is that almost no one ever revokes privileges that are no longer needed. Over the years, this results in an individual whose access rights are the sum of all their previous roles. Experts call this \u201cprivileges creep.\u201d As a result, in many companies, employees hold onto permissions they no longer even know they have\u2014and the organization is just as unaware. <\/p>\n<\/div>
The gap between \u201capproved\u201d and \u201cactually awarded\u201d<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>A well-designed access control policy specifies who is authorized to access what based on their role. That is the target state. The actual state is what is actually configured in Active Directory, on the file servers, in SharePoint, and in the line-of-business applications. Over time, the two states drift apart. <\/p>\n
This discrepancy is dangerous because no one notices it as long as nothing goes wrong. An active account belonging to someone who left long ago, an access permission granted in direct violation of the role-based model, project access that remains active after the project has ended: all of these are invisible in day-to-day operations, yet all become critical as soon as an audit is conducted. For an attacker, an account with excessive permissions is a jackpot, because it opens more doors at once than intended. <\/p>\n<\/div>
Why Excel Spreadsheets Don’t Solve the Problem<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>The usual way to get things in order is through a manual reconciliation. The IT department exports access permissions, distributes the lists to the business units, and asks for feedback on what\u2019s still correct. Anyone who\u2019s done this before knows the result: It takes days, the lists are already out of date by the time they\u2019re sent out, and no one can in good conscience verify whether line 2,480 is really still correct. <\/p>\n
Such a comparison is always just a snapshot. The day after the big cleanup, the authorization drift starts all over again, while the Excel document shows a state that no longer exists. A dynamic process simply cannot be monitored using a snapshot\u2014certainly not manually. <\/p>\n<\/div>
Quick Check: Are you accumulating too many rights?<\/b> If you check more than two items, you should review your current situation.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/i><\/div><\/div>- <\/i><\/span>\n
Additional rights simply remain in effect regardless of projects or substitutions<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
When changing departments, new permissions are granted; existing ones are not revoked<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
Some accounts belonging to former employees are still active<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
There are permissions that were set directly, bypassing the role-based model.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
It has been months since the last complete authorization check.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
There is no quick answer to the question, “Who is allowed to access this folder?”<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>Reconciliation and Recertification: The Target-Actual Comparison That Takes Care of Itself<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>To prevent the gap from widening in the first place, two mechanisms need to work together.<\/p>\n
Reconciliation is the continuous process of comparing target and actual states. The system continuously checks whether the actual state in the target systems still corresponds to the defined role model and reports discrepancies as soon as they arise. Instead of once a year, a directly set authorization or an orphaned account is noticed immediately. The BAYOOSOFT Access Manager<\/b><\/a> can also directly rectify detected discrepancies according to clear rules\u2014for example, by resetting an authorization granted without authorization or deactivating an account without an owner. <\/p>\nRecertification is the periodic confirmation by the responsible parties. At fixed intervals, department or directory administrators check whether the permissions in their area are still needed and either grant or revoke them. It is not the IT department that makes the recommendation; rather, the decision is made by the person who is qualified to assess the situation. Our article on recertification of access rights<\/b><\/a>. <\/p>\nTogether, the two form a closed loop: Reconciliation continuously keeps the current state up to date, while recertification confirms the target state at a later time. The need for a major manual effort is eliminated because the work is broken down into many small, automated steps. <\/p>\n<\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/www.bayoosoft.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/06\/BAYOOSOFT-Access-Manager-Proaktive-Autokorrektur.jpg\" "\\"BAYOOSOFT")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>Be able to verify at any time who has access to what<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>DThe real benefit becomes apparent during the next audit. Because verification and correction take place during normal operations, the supporting documentation is generated automatically and remains up to date. When asked who is authorized to access a specific directory and on what basis, a reliable answer is available in minutes rather than days. <\/span><\/p>\nThis not only reduces the scope of potential issues but also eases the stress leading up to audit dates. When you know that the actual status is continuously compared with the target status, you no longer have to gather lists of documents before a recertification or audit. The evidence is already there. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Conclusion<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>Having too many permissions is rarely the result of a single wrong decision. It is the result of many correct decisions that were never reversed. That is why the problem cannot be solved with a one-time cleanup, but only through ongoing reconciliation.
Reconciliation and recertification transform what would otherwise be a rare, Herculean task into a calm, ongoing process. The question \u201cWho actually has access to what?\u201d thus loses its intimidating edge, because you can provide the answer at any time. <\/p>\n<\/div>
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><\/h2><\/div><\/i><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>\nExcessive permissions occur when employees have more access rights than they need for their current tasks. This usually happens gradually because, during projects, when employees are covering for others, or when roles change, new permissions are added but old ones are not revoked. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>What is the difference between reconciliation and recertification?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>\nReconciliation is the continuous, largely automated process of comparing defined target values with actual values in the target systems. Recertification is the periodic review during which authorized personnel confirm or revoke whether rights are still needed. The two processes complement each other. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>Why aren't Excel lists sufficient for authorization matching?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>\nManual verification is time-consuming, prone to errors, and always just a snapshot in time. Shortly after the inspection, the actual condition deviates again without anyone noticing. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Studies show that many employees retain access rights they no longer need. With every vacation cover, every project, and every role change, the gap between authorized and actual access rights widens. Anyone who tries to reconcile this using Excel spreadsheets wastes days and still misses something. We\u2019ll show you how reconciliation and recertification automate the comparison between authorized and actual access, so you can always demonstrate who has access to what. <\/p>\n<\/div>
Very few organizations could say off the top of their heads who in the company is actually authorized to access what. This question usually doesn\u2019t come up until things get awkward: during an audit, after an incident, or when someone resigns and it suddenly becomes apparent just how extensive their access rights were. <\/p>\n
The numbers behind this are troubling. In a survey by Ponemon and Varonis, 62 percent of employees reported having access to company data they weren\u2019t supposed to see. The Varonis Data Risk Report paints the same picture from the other side: On average, about one-fifth of all folders are accessible to every employee. Without an audit, it\u2019s impossible to say whether that figure is exactly half in your organization. And that\u2019s precisely the real problem. <\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>How Regular Employees Become Rights Holders<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>Hardly anyone is granted too many permissions all at once. It happens gradually. A project might require temporary access to an additional drive. When someone covers for a colleague on vacation, they take over that colleague\u2019s tasks and are granted the corresponding permissions. When someone changes departments, new permissions are added, but the old ones carry over. <\/p>\n
Every single assignment of privileges is justified and appropriate. The problem is that almost no one ever revokes privileges that are no longer needed. Over the years, this results in an individual whose access rights are the sum of all their previous roles. Experts call this \u201cprivileges creep.\u201d As a result, in many companies, employees hold onto permissions they no longer even know they have\u2014and the organization is just as unaware. <\/p>\n<\/div>
The gap between \u201capproved\u201d and \u201cactually awarded\u201d<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>A well-designed access control policy specifies who is authorized to access what based on their role. That is the target state. The actual state is what is actually configured in Active Directory, on the file servers, in SharePoint, and in the line-of-business applications. Over time, the two states drift apart. <\/p>\n
This discrepancy is dangerous because no one notices it as long as nothing goes wrong. An active account belonging to someone who left long ago, an access permission granted in direct violation of the role-based model, project access that remains active after the project has ended: all of these are invisible in day-to-day operations, yet all become critical as soon as an audit is conducted. For an attacker, an account with excessive permissions is a jackpot, because it opens more doors at once than intended. <\/p>\n<\/div>
Why Excel Spreadsheets Don’t Solve the Problem<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>The usual way to get things in order is through a manual reconciliation. The IT department exports access permissions, distributes the lists to the business units, and asks for feedback on what\u2019s still correct. Anyone who\u2019s done this before knows the result: It takes days, the lists are already out of date by the time they\u2019re sent out, and no one can in good conscience verify whether line 2,480 is really still correct. <\/p>\n
Such a comparison is always just a snapshot. The day after the big cleanup, the authorization drift starts all over again, while the Excel document shows a state that no longer exists. A dynamic process simply cannot be monitored using a snapshot\u2014certainly not manually. <\/p>\n<\/div>
Quick Check: Are you accumulating too many rights?<\/b> If you check more than two items, you should review your current situation.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/i><\/div><\/div>- <\/i><\/span>\n
Additional rights simply remain in effect regardless of projects or substitutions<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
When changing departments, new permissions are granted; existing ones are not revoked<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
Some accounts belonging to former employees are still active<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
There are permissions that were set directly, bypassing the role-based model.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
It has been months since the last complete authorization check.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
There is no quick answer to the question, “Who is allowed to access this folder?”<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>Reconciliation and Recertification: The Target-Actual Comparison That Takes Care of Itself<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>To prevent the gap from widening in the first place, two mechanisms need to work together.<\/p>\n
Reconciliation is the continuous process of comparing target and actual states. The system continuously checks whether the actual state in the target systems still corresponds to the defined role model and reports discrepancies as soon as they arise. Instead of once a year, a directly set authorization or an orphaned account is noticed immediately. The BAYOOSOFT Access Manager<\/b><\/a> can also directly rectify detected discrepancies according to clear rules\u2014for example, by resetting an authorization granted without authorization or deactivating an account without an owner. <\/p>\nRecertification is the periodic confirmation by the responsible parties. At fixed intervals, department or directory administrators check whether the permissions in their area are still needed and either grant or revoke them. It is not the IT department that makes the recommendation; rather, the decision is made by the person who is qualified to assess the situation. Our article on recertification of access rights<\/b><\/a>. <\/p>\nTogether, the two form a closed loop: Reconciliation continuously keeps the current state up to date, while recertification confirms the target state at a later time. The need for a major manual effort is eliminated because the work is broken down into many small, automated steps. <\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>Be able to verify at any time who has access to what<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>DThe real benefit becomes apparent during the next audit. Because verification and correction take place during normal operations, the supporting documentation is generated automatically and remains up to date. When asked who is authorized to access a specific directory and on what basis, a reliable answer is available in minutes rather than days. <\/span><\/p>\nThis not only reduces the scope of potential issues but also eases the stress leading up to audit dates. When you know that the actual status is continuously compared with the target status, you no longer have to gather lists of documents before a recertification or audit. The evidence is already there. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Conclusion<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>Having too many permissions is rarely the result of a single wrong decision. It is the result of many correct decisions that were never reversed. That is why the problem cannot be solved with a one-time cleanup, but only through ongoing reconciliation.
Reconciliation and recertification transform what would otherwise be a rare, Herculean task into a calm, ongoing process. The question \u201cWho actually has access to what?\u201d thus loses its intimidating edge, because you can provide the answer at any time. <\/p>\n<\/div>
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><\/h2><\/div><\/i><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>\nExcessive permissions occur when employees have more access rights than they need for their current tasks. This usually happens gradually because, during projects, when employees are covering for others, or when roles change, new permissions are added but old ones are not revoked. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>What is the difference between reconciliation and recertification?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>\nReconciliation is the continuous, largely automated process of comparing defined target values with actual values in the target systems. Recertification is the periodic review during which authorized personnel confirm or revoke whether rights are still needed. The two processes complement each other. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>Why aren't Excel lists sufficient for authorization matching?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>\nManual verification is time-consuming, prone to errors, and always just a snapshot in time. Shortly after the inspection, the actual condition deviates again without anyone noticing. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Hardly anyone is granted too many permissions all at once. It happens gradually. A project might require temporary access to an additional drive. When someone covers for a colleague on vacation, they take over that colleague\u2019s tasks and are granted the corresponding permissions. When someone changes departments, new permissions are added, but the old ones carry over. <\/p>\n
Every single assignment of privileges is justified and appropriate. The problem is that almost no one ever revokes privileges that are no longer needed. Over the years, this results in an individual whose access rights are the sum of all their previous roles. Experts call this \u201cprivileges creep.\u201d As a result, in many companies, employees hold onto permissions they no longer even know they have\u2014and the organization is just as unaware. <\/p>\n<\/div>
The gap between \u201capproved\u201d and \u201cactually awarded\u201d<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>A well-designed access control policy specifies who is authorized to access what based on their role. That is the target state. The actual state is what is actually configured in Active Directory, on the file servers, in SharePoint, and in the line-of-business applications. Over time, the two states drift apart. <\/p>\n
This discrepancy is dangerous because no one notices it as long as nothing goes wrong. An active account belonging to someone who left long ago, an access permission granted in direct violation of the role-based model, project access that remains active after the project has ended: all of these are invisible in day-to-day operations, yet all become critical as soon as an audit is conducted. For an attacker, an account with excessive permissions is a jackpot, because it opens more doors at once than intended. <\/p>\n<\/div>
Why Excel Spreadsheets Don’t Solve the Problem<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>The usual way to get things in order is through a manual reconciliation. The IT department exports access permissions, distributes the lists to the business units, and asks for feedback on what\u2019s still correct. Anyone who\u2019s done this before knows the result: It takes days, the lists are already out of date by the time they\u2019re sent out, and no one can in good conscience verify whether line 2,480 is really still correct. <\/p>\n
Such a comparison is always just a snapshot. The day after the big cleanup, the authorization drift starts all over again, while the Excel document shows a state that no longer exists. A dynamic process simply cannot be monitored using a snapshot\u2014certainly not manually. <\/p>\n<\/div>
Quick Check: Are you accumulating too many rights?<\/b> If you check more than two items, you should review your current situation.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/i><\/div><\/div>- <\/i><\/span>\n
Additional rights simply remain in effect regardless of projects or substitutions<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
When changing departments, new permissions are granted; existing ones are not revoked<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
Some accounts belonging to former employees are still active<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
There are permissions that were set directly, bypassing the role-based model.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
It has been months since the last complete authorization check.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
There is no quick answer to the question, “Who is allowed to access this folder?”<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>Reconciliation and Recertification: The Target-Actual Comparison That Takes Care of Itself<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>To prevent the gap from widening in the first place, two mechanisms need to work together.<\/p>\n
Reconciliation is the continuous process of comparing target and actual states. The system continuously checks whether the actual state in the target systems still corresponds to the defined role model and reports discrepancies as soon as they arise. Instead of once a year, a directly set authorization or an orphaned account is noticed immediately. The BAYOOSOFT Access Manager<\/b><\/a> can also directly rectify detected discrepancies according to clear rules\u2014for example, by resetting an authorization granted without authorization or deactivating an account without an owner. <\/p>\nRecertification is the periodic confirmation by the responsible parties. At fixed intervals, department or directory administrators check whether the permissions in their area are still needed and either grant or revoke them. It is not the IT department that makes the recommendation; rather, the decision is made by the person who is qualified to assess the situation. Our article on recertification of access rights<\/b><\/a>. <\/p>\nTogether, the two form a closed loop: Reconciliation continuously keeps the current state up to date, while recertification confirms the target state at a later time. The need for a major manual effort is eliminated because the work is broken down into many small, automated steps. <\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>Be able to verify at any time who has access to what<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>DThe real benefit becomes apparent during the next audit. Because verification and correction take place during normal operations, the supporting documentation is generated automatically and remains up to date. When asked who is authorized to access a specific directory and on what basis, a reliable answer is available in minutes rather than days. <\/span><\/p>\nThis not only reduces the scope of potential issues but also eases the stress leading up to audit dates. When you know that the actual status is continuously compared with the target status, you no longer have to gather lists of documents before a recertification or audit. The evidence is already there. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Conclusion<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>Having too many permissions is rarely the result of a single wrong decision. It is the result of many correct decisions that were never reversed. That is why the problem cannot be solved with a one-time cleanup, but only through ongoing reconciliation.
Reconciliation and recertification transform what would otherwise be a rare, Herculean task into a calm, ongoing process. The question \u201cWho actually has access to what?\u201d thus loses its intimidating edge, because you can provide the answer at any time. <\/p>\n<\/div>
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><\/h2><\/div><\/i><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>\nExcessive permissions occur when employees have more access rights than they need for their current tasks. This usually happens gradually because, during projects, when employees are covering for others, or when roles change, new permissions are added but old ones are not revoked. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>What is the difference between reconciliation and recertification?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>\nReconciliation is the continuous, largely automated process of comparing defined target values with actual values in the target systems. Recertification is the periodic review during which authorized personnel confirm or revoke whether rights are still needed. The two processes complement each other. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>Why aren't Excel lists sufficient for authorization matching?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>\nManual verification is time-consuming, prone to errors, and always just a snapshot in time. Shortly after the inspection, the actual condition deviates again without anyone noticing. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
A well-designed access control policy specifies who is authorized to access what based on their role. That is the target state. The actual state is what is actually configured in Active Directory, on the file servers, in SharePoint, and in the line-of-business applications. Over time, the two states drift apart. <\/p>\n
This discrepancy is dangerous because no one notices it as long as nothing goes wrong. An active account belonging to someone who left long ago, an access permission granted in direct violation of the role-based model, project access that remains active after the project has ended: all of these are invisible in day-to-day operations, yet all become critical as soon as an audit is conducted. For an attacker, an account with excessive permissions is a jackpot, because it opens more doors at once than intended. <\/p>\n<\/div>
Why Excel Spreadsheets Don’t Solve the Problem<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>The usual way to get things in order is through a manual reconciliation. The IT department exports access permissions, distributes the lists to the business units, and asks for feedback on what\u2019s still correct. Anyone who\u2019s done this before knows the result: It takes days, the lists are already out of date by the time they\u2019re sent out, and no one can in good conscience verify whether line 2,480 is really still correct. <\/p>\n
Such a comparison is always just a snapshot. The day after the big cleanup, the authorization drift starts all over again, while the Excel document shows a state that no longer exists. A dynamic process simply cannot be monitored using a snapshot\u2014certainly not manually. <\/p>\n<\/div>
Quick Check: Are you accumulating too many rights?<\/b> If you check more than two items, you should review your current situation.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/i><\/div><\/div>- <\/i><\/span>\n
Additional rights simply remain in effect regardless of projects or substitutions<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
When changing departments, new permissions are granted; existing ones are not revoked<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
Some accounts belonging to former employees are still active<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
There are permissions that were set directly, bypassing the role-based model.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
It has been months since the last complete authorization check.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>- <\/i><\/span>\n
There is no quick answer to the question, “Who is allowed to access this folder?”<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>Reconciliation and Recertification: The Target-Actual Comparison That Takes Care of Itself<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>To prevent the gap from widening in the first place, two mechanisms need to work together.<\/p>\n
Reconciliation is the continuous process of comparing target and actual states. The system continuously checks whether the actual state in the target systems still corresponds to the defined role model and reports discrepancies as soon as they arise. Instead of once a year, a directly set authorization or an orphaned account is noticed immediately. The BAYOOSOFT Access Manager<\/b><\/a> can also directly rectify detected discrepancies according to clear rules\u2014for example, by resetting an authorization granted without authorization or deactivating an account without an owner. <\/p>\nRecertification is the periodic confirmation by the responsible parties. At fixed intervals, department or directory administrators check whether the permissions in their area are still needed and either grant or revoke them. It is not the IT department that makes the recommendation; rather, the decision is made by the person who is qualified to assess the situation. Our article on recertification of access rights<\/b><\/a>. <\/p>\nTogether, the two form a closed loop: Reconciliation continuously keeps the current state up to date, while recertification confirms the target state at a later time. The need for a major manual effort is eliminated because the work is broken down into many small, automated steps. <\/p>\n<\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>Be able to verify at any time who has access to what<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>DThe real benefit becomes apparent during the next audit. Because verification and correction take place during normal operations, the supporting documentation is generated automatically and remains up to date. When asked who is authorized to access a specific directory and on what basis, a reliable answer is available in minutes rather than days. <\/span><\/p>\nThis not only reduces the scope of potential issues but also eases the stress leading up to audit dates. When you know that the actual status is continuously compared with the target status, you no longer have to gather lists of documents before a recertification or audit. The evidence is already there. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Conclusion<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>Having too many permissions is rarely the result of a single wrong decision. It is the result of many correct decisions that were never reversed. That is why the problem cannot be solved with a one-time cleanup, but only through ongoing reconciliation.
Reconciliation and recertification transform what would otherwise be a rare, Herculean task into a calm, ongoing process. The question \u201cWho actually has access to what?\u201d thus loses its intimidating edge, because you can provide the answer at any time. <\/p>\n<\/div>
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><\/h2><\/div><\/i><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>\nExcessive permissions occur when employees have more access rights than they need for their current tasks. This usually happens gradually because, during projects, when employees are covering for others, or when roles change, new permissions are added but old ones are not revoked. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>What is the difference between reconciliation and recertification?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>\nReconciliation is the continuous, largely automated process of comparing defined target values with actual values in the target systems. Recertification is the periodic review during which authorized personnel confirm or revoke whether rights are still needed. The two processes complement each other. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>Why aren't Excel lists sufficient for authorization matching?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>\nManual verification is time-consuming, prone to errors, and always just a snapshot in time. Shortly after the inspection, the actual condition deviates again without anyone noticing. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
The usual way to get things in order is through a manual reconciliation. The IT department exports access permissions, distributes the lists to the business units, and asks for feedback on what\u2019s still correct. Anyone who\u2019s done this before knows the result: It takes days, the lists are already out of date by the time they\u2019re sent out, and no one can in good conscience verify whether line 2,480 is really still correct. <\/p>\n
Such a comparison is always just a snapshot. The day after the big cleanup, the authorization drift starts all over again, while the Excel document shows a state that no longer exists. A dynamic process simply cannot be monitored using a snapshot\u2014certainly not manually. <\/p>\n<\/div>
Quick Check: Are you accumulating too many rights?<\/b> If you check more than two items, you should review your current situation.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Additional rights simply remain in effect regardless of projects or substitutions<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> When changing departments, new permissions are granted; existing ones are not revoked<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> Some accounts belonging to former employees are still active<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> There are permissions that were set directly, bypassing the role-based model.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> It has been months since the last complete authorization check.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> There is no quick answer to the question, “Who is allowed to access this folder?”<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div> To prevent the gap from widening in the first place, two mechanisms need to work together.<\/p>\n Reconciliation is the continuous process of comparing target and actual states. The system continuously checks whether the actual state in the target systems still corresponds to the defined role model and reports discrepancies as soon as they arise. Instead of once a year, a directly set authorization or an orphaned account is noticed immediately. The BAYOOSOFT Access Manager<\/b><\/a> can also directly rectify detected discrepancies according to clear rules\u2014for example, by resetting an authorization granted without authorization or deactivating an account without an owner. <\/p>\n Recertification is the periodic confirmation by the responsible parties. At fixed intervals, department or directory administrators check whether the permissions in their area are still needed and either grant or revoke them. It is not the IT department that makes the recommendation; rather, the decision is made by the person who is qualified to assess the situation. Our article on recertification of access rights<\/b><\/a>. <\/p>\n Together, the two form a closed loop: Reconciliation continuously keeps the current state up to date, while recertification confirms the target state at a later time. The need for a major manual effort is eliminated because the work is broken down into many small, automated steps. <\/p>\n<\/div> DThe real benefit becomes apparent during the next audit. Because verification and correction take place during normal operations, the supporting documentation is generated automatically and remains up to date. When asked who is authorized to access a specific directory and on what basis, a reliable answer is available in minutes rather than days. <\/span><\/p>\n This not only reduces the scope of potential issues but also eases the stress leading up to audit dates. When you know that the actual status is continuously compared with the target status, you no longer have to gather lists of documents before a recertification or audit. The evidence is already there. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div> Having too many permissions is rarely the result of a single wrong decision. It is the result of many correct decisions that were never reversed. That is why the problem cannot be solved with a one-time cleanup, but only through ongoing reconciliation. Excessive permissions occur when employees have more access rights than they need for their current tasks. This usually happens gradually because, during projects, when employees are covering for others, or when roles change, new permissions are added but old ones are not revoked. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Reconciliation is the continuous, largely automated process of comparing defined target values with actual values in the target systems. Recertification is the periodic review during which authorized personnel confirm or revoke whether rights are still needed. The two processes complement each other. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Manual verification is time-consuming, prone to errors, and always just a snapshot in time. Shortly after the inspection, the actual condition deviates again without anyone noticing. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>Reconciliation and Recertification: The Target-Actual Comparison That Takes Care of Itself<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>Be able to verify at any time who has access to what<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>
Conclusion<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>
Reconciliation and recertification transform what would otherwise be a rare, Herculean task into a calm, ongoing process. The question \u201cWho actually has access to what?\u201d thus loses its intimidating edge, because you can provide the answer at any time. <\/p>\n<\/div>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><\/h2><\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>What is the difference between reconciliation and recertification?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
<\/i><\/i><\/span>Why aren't Excel lists sufficient for authorization matching?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
![](\"https:\/\/www.bayoosoft.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2024\/02\/AccessManager-300x300.png\" "\\"BAYOOSOFT")
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