Which approach helps prevent stale credentials when users leave or change roles?

• A. Rely solely on quarterly reviews.
• B. Group-based on-boarding is sufficient.
• C. Proactive deprovisioning and data migration.
• D. Ignore deprovisioning until an audit.

Answer: (C)

Keeping access aligned with people’s current roles and exits relies on acting quickly when a separation happens. Proactive deprovisioning means removing or disabling a user’s access as soon as they leave or transition to a different role, so stale credentials aren’t left behind to be misused. Pairing that with data migration ensures that any resources or data owned by the departing or changing user are reassigned to the right person or team, maintaining continuity and proper control. This combination minimizes the window of opportunity for unauthorized access and keeps access rights up to date with reality. Infrequent or reactive approaches—like quarterly reviews, onboarding only at the start, or waiting for audits—miss important changes and leave gaps that stale credentials can exploit.