GRC Portfolio Project ISO 27001 A.5.18 NIST CSF 2.0 PR AA

Managers focused on risk and governance will gain the capability to build a comprehensive GRC portfolio project demonstrating access review control effectiveness.

This course directly addresses your need to build a comprehensive GRC portfolio project by guiding you through defining, testing, and documenting an access review control. You will gain practical experience using Microsoft Entra ID to analyze evidence and produce a publishable assessment, enabling you to meet your September deadline and prepare for internship applications. The GRC Portfolio Project ISO 27001 A.5.18 NIST CSF 2.0 PR AA is designed to equip you with the skills to navigate complex security requirements and demonstrate tangible outcomes within governance frameworks.

As a manager focused on Risk and Governance, you are tasked with a critical challenge: to construct a complete GRC portfolio project. This involves creating a fictional 50-person company, selecting access reviews and access rights as the control to focus on, and acquiring a working knowledge of ISO 27001 A.5.18 and NIST CSF 2.0 PR.AA. You will define the control's objectives, design testing methodologies, and leverage a free Microsoft Entra ID environment to simulate user access and gather evidence. The analysis of this evidence will uncover issues such as excessive or inappropriate access, leading to documented findings, risk assessments, and actionable recommendations. The ultimate goal is to produce a publishable assessment with a clean GitHub README by the end of September, positioning you to confidently pursue internship applications in October and November.

What You Will Walk Away With

• Define the scope and objectives of an access review control within a simulated organizational structure.
• Design and document a robust testing methodology to validate control effectiveness.
• Utilize Microsoft Entra ID to generate realistic user access scenarios and collect empirical evidence.
• Analyze access control evidence to identify and quantify risks, including excessive or inappropriate permissions.
• Formulate clear, data-driven recommendations for enhancing access control policies and procedures.
• Produce a professional, publishable GRC portfolio assessment suitable for executive review and internship applications.

Who This Course Is Built For

• Chief Risk Officers: To ensure robust oversight and accountability for information security controls.
• Information Security Managers: To demonstrate practical application of security standards and risk management principles.
• Compliance Officers: To validate adherence to regulatory and industry best practices for access management.
• IT Directors: To understand and govern the effectiveness of access controls within their infrastructure.
• Internal Audit Managers: To equip teams with the knowledge to assess the efficacy of critical security processes.

Why This Is Not Generic Training

This course moves beyond theoretical concepts to provide a hands-on, project-based learning experience. You will not simply learn about access reviews; you will build one. The focus is on practical application, using real-world tools and scenarios to create a tangible portfolio piece that showcases your capabilities. This approach ensures that you develop a deep understanding of how to implement and assess controls, rather than just memorizing standards.

How the Course Is Delivered and What Is Included

Course access is prepared after purchase and delivered via email. This structured delivery ensures you receive all necessary materials promptly. Comparable executive education in this domain typically requires significant time away from work and budget commitment. This course is designed to deliver decision clarity without disruption. The curriculum includes comprehensive guidance, practical exercises, and access to a toolkit featuring implementation templates, worksheets, checklists, and decision support materials, all designed to facilitate your success in building a high-impact GRC portfolio project.

Detailed Module Breakdown

Module 1: Introduction to GRC Portfolio Projects and Access Reviews

• Understanding the purpose and structure of a GRC portfolio project.
• Defining the scope of access reviews within governance frameworks.
• Overview of ISO 27001 A.5.18 and NIST CSF 2.0 PR.AA relevant to access control.
• Setting up your fictional 50-person company environment.
• Establishing project goals and key performance indicators for access reviews.

Module 2: Deep Dive into ISO 27001 A.5.18 and NIST CSF 2.0 PR.AA

• Detailed analysis of ISO 27001 Annex A.5.18 requirements for access control.
• In-depth exploration of NIST CSF 2.0, specifically the PR.AA function and its subcategories.
• Mapping control objectives between ISO 27001 and NIST CSF 2.0 for access reviews.
• Identifying common control gaps and best practices.
• Understanding the intent and practical application of these standards for access rights.

Module 3: Defining the Access Review Control Objectives

• Translating standard requirements into specific, measurable objectives for your control.
• Defining what constitutes 'effective' access review for your fictional company.
• Establishing criteria for appropriate and excessive access.
• Documenting the intended outcomes of the access review process.
• Aligning control objectives with overall company risk posture.

Module 4: Designing the Access Review Testing Methodology

• Developing a systematic approach to test the access review control.
• Identifying key testing phases: preparation, execution, and analysis.
• Defining test cases and scenarios for various access types.
• Determining the evidence required to validate control effectiveness.
• Planning for the collection of qualitative and quantitative data.

Module 5: Setting Up and Configuring Microsoft Entra ID

• Creating a free Microsoft Entra ID tenant for your project.
• Configuring user accounts for your fictional 50-person company.
• Assigning roles and permissions to simulate realistic access scenarios.
• Exploring Entra ID features relevant to access management.
• Understanding the limitations and capabilities of the free Entra ID environment.

Module 6: Simulating User Access and Evidence Collection

• Creating diverse user profiles with varying access needs.
• Simulating access requests and approvals within Entra ID.
• Generating reports and logs from Entra ID to capture access evidence.
• Taking screenshots of user assignments, group memberships, and application access.
• Documenting the steps taken to create realistic access scenarios.

Module 7: Analyzing Access Review Evidence

• Reviewing collected Entra ID logs and reports for anomalies.
• Identifying instances of excessive privileges and inappropriate access.
• Cross-referencing user access with defined roles and responsibilities.
• Detecting dormant accounts or unassigned access.
• Using evidence to identify potential security risks.

Module 8: Documenting Findings and Risks

• Structuring your assessment report for clarity and impact.
• Clearly articulating identified issues and their root causes.
• Quantifying risks associated with excessive or inappropriate access.
• Linking findings back to ISO 27001 A.5.18 and NIST CSF 2.0 PR.AA.
• Using screenshots and data to support your findings.

Module 9: Recommending Remediation Actions

• Developing practical and actionable recommendations for fixing identified issues.
• Prioritizing remediation efforts based on risk levels.
• Suggesting changes to Entra ID configurations and access policies.
• Proposing improvements to the access review process itself.
• Outlining steps for implementing recommended fixes.

Module 10: Evaluating Control Effectiveness

• Assessing whether the access review control achieved its defined objectives.
• Determining the overall effectiveness of the control based on evidence and analysis.
• Formulating a conclusion regarding the control's performance.
• Identifying areas for future improvement and ongoing monitoring.
• Summarizing the control's contribution to the company's security posture.

Module 11: Publishing Your GRC Portfolio Project

• Structuring your GitHub repository for the project.
• Crafting a clear and informative README file.
• Organizing all collected evidence, reports, and documentation.
• Ensuring the assessment is publishable and professional.
• Preparing to present your project findings.

Module 12: Finalizing and Presenting Your Assessment

• Reviewing and refining your entire GRC portfolio project.
• Ensuring consistency and accuracy across all project components.
• Practicing your presentation of the assessment.
• Understanding how to articulate the value of your project.
• Final checks before the September deadline.

Practical Tools Frameworks and Takeaways

• Microsoft Entra ID for access management simulation.
• ISO 27001 Annex A.5.18 as a control standard.
• NIST CSF 2.0 PR.AA for risk management.
• GitHub for project documentation and publishing.
• Structured assessment reporting templates.

Immediate Value and Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will receive a formal Certificate of Completion, which can be added to your LinkedIn profile. This certificate evidences your leadership capability and ongoing professional development within governance frameworks, directly preparing you for internship applications.

Frequently Asked Questions