This issue focuses on Access Recertification, one of the most quietly ignored controls that led to multiple identity-related breaches in 2025.
🛰️ AuditSec Intel 1008 – The Access Mirage: When Dormant Accounts Became Attack Gateways in 2025
🔑 Introduction: Access That Never Ends
In 2025, cybercriminals didn’t always break in — sometimes, they walked right through forgotten doors.
From contractors who left last year to employees who changed roles, access creep became a massive blind spot for enterprises.
“Access once granted — rarely gets revoked.”
And that’s exactly what attackers exploited.
⚠️ The 2025 Identity Breach Pattern
CISORadar’s analysis of 120 enterprise breaches (Jan–Aug 2025) revealed shocking trends:
| Issue | Frequency | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Dormant privileged accounts exploited | 36% | Admin credentials used months after employee exit |
| Access not aligned to new role | 28% | Finance users retained DevOps access |
| Orphaned service accounts | 21% | Legacy apps never decommissioned |
| Third-party vendor access post contract | 15% | External logins never disabled |
💡 Insight:
“You can’t secure what you don’t review.”
🧩 Ignored Control: ISO 27001 A.9.2.5 / A5.18 / NIST AC-2(7) – Review of User Access Rights
| Area | Objective | Common Gap |
|---|---|---|
| Access Recertification | Review and validate user access periodically | Reviews skipped or done manually |
| Role-Based Access Control | Access aligned to job function | Access accumulation over time |
| Privileged Access Review | Verify admin and root accounts | Lack of dual sign-off |
| Termination Offboarding | Immediate revocation | Manual, delayed process |
💡 CISORadar Audit Insight:
68% of organizations had no documented evidence of quarterly access reviews.
🧠 CISORadar Control Test of the Week
Control Reference: ISO 27001 A.9.2.5 / NIST AC-2(7)
Objective: Ensure all system and application access rights are reviewed periodically and aligned to user roles.
Test Steps:
1️⃣ Select 3 systems (ERP, Cloud Console, Database).
2️⃣ Obtain latest user access list from each.
3️⃣ Cross-verify against HR employee list.
4️⃣ Identify inactive or unnecessary accounts.
5️⃣ Confirm deactivation or justification documentation.
Expected Results:
✅ All active accounts mapped to valid users
✅ Admin accounts justified and approved
✅ Review logs retained for audit
Tools Suggested:
SailPoint | Okta | CyberArk | CISORadar Access Review Sheet
🔥 Case Study: The Logistics Insider Breach (Feb 2025)
Scenario:
An ex-contractor’s credentials remained active in a warehouse management system for 11 months post-departure.
Attackers used those dormant credentials to inject ransomware through a remote desktop session.
Impact:
- 2-week operational shutdown
- ₹120 Cr business loss
- 9 major customers lost
- Legal & insurance investigation
Audit Finding:
Access policy defined ✅
Quarterly reviews conducted ❌
Offboarding control automated ❌
Lesson:
“The longer access lives, the greater your attack surface grows.”
🚀 CISORadar ROI Model – Access Trust Index (ATI)
| Metric | Before Review | After CISORadar Audit Framework |
|---|---|---|
| Dormant Accounts Found | 214 | 9 |
| Access Review Frequency | Annual | Quarterly |
| Unauthorized Access Attempts | 33 | 2 |
| Privileged Access Risk Score | 61% | 92% |
🧭 Leadership Takeaway
“Zero Trust starts with Zero Neglect.”
Access recertification isn’t just compliance — it’s continuity of trust.
Boards should treat periodic access reviews as digital hygiene, not red-tape.
📩 Download the “Access Recertification Audit Template (A.9.2.5 / A.5.18/ NIST AC-2)”
🎯 Join the CISORadar Cyber Authority WhatsApp Group to access:
📘 “Access Review Checklist + Offboarding Verification Sheet (A.9.2.5 / NIST AC-2)”
🔗 Join Now → CISORadar Cyber Authority Community
📣 Share this with your IAM, Audit, and Compliance teams — because access without accountability is an open invitation.
🔖 Tags & SEO Keywords:
#AuditSecIntel #AccessReview #ISO27001A925 #NISTAC2 #IdentitySecurity #CISORadar #DigitalTrust #ZeroTrust #CyberResilience #CISO2