What it means
The lifecycle should follow the person, device, workload, or partner relationship from initial proofing through role changes and departure. Automation can improve speed, but authoritative sources and exception handling remain essential.
Why it matters
Many access failures occur after a legitimate change, such as a transfer, leave, contractor extension, or termination.
Practical focus
- Use an authoritative source for identity status
- Tie access to role and approved need
- Remove or adjust access promptly after changes
- Review dormant, shared, and orphaned accounts
Common mistakes
- Focusing on onboarding while neglecting offboarding
- Keeping access because it might be useful later
- Creating accounts outside the governed process
Certification relevance
This subject appears in or supports the following certification bodies of knowledge: