An approval workflow is a structured security process within Identity & Access Management (IAM) that establishes a predefined sequence of steps for submitting, reviewing, and authorizing requests related to resource access, system permissions, or privilege elevations. This systematic approach ensures that any changes to user access rights—including new account provisioning, role modifications, or privilege revocation—must receive explicit consent from designated authorities before taking effect.

By requiring formal authorization at each stage, approval workflows enforce critical cybersecurity principles such as least privilege, separation of duties, and dynamic access control. This process significantly reduces the risks of unauthorized access, insider threats, and data breaches while maintaining a comprehensive audit trail of all access-related decisions. The resulting documentation is essential for regulatory compliance, security incident response, and demonstrating accountability across an organization's digital infrastructure.