Access governance is a fundamental cybersecurity process that defines, enforces, and continuously monitors how digital identities interact with an organization's critical resources, sensitive data, and IT infrastructure. It ensures that access rights are precisely granted, modified, and revoked based on established policies, verified roles, and legitimate business necessity. This structured approach spans the entire identity and access management lifecycle, from initial provisioning and role-based assignments to regular access reviews and prompt de-provisioning when roles change or employees leave the organization.

The primary objective of access governance is to mitigate cybersecurity risks by preventing unauthorized access, enforcing regulatory compliance, and maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information assets. By applying principles such as least privilege and segregation of duties, organizations can significantly reduce their attack surface and minimize potential damage from both internal and external threats. Access governance also enables transparent accountability through comprehensive audit trails and reporting, helping organizations demonstrate compliance with security mandates while adapting to evolving threats in complex digital environments.