Access Observer - Yokohama's Underrated Feature Enhancing Data Security and Compliance

[Jaspal Singh]

Yokohama release brings a wave of innovation—especially in AI and automation. But tucked inside this release is a less-celebrated yet powerful feature that security-conscious organizations will want to know about: Access Observer.

In this article, we’ll explore what Access Observer does, why it matters, and how you can bring it into your security strategy—backed with a real-world use case.

What is it?

Access Observer is a component of ServiceNow’s upgraded Vault suite, a complete security solution made to safeguard private information at the field level. Administrators now have unheard insight into who (or what) is accessing encrypted fields throughtout the platform thanks to this capability

A game changer for organizations leveraging Platform Encryption to secure critical information.

What it matters?

• Track real-time field-level access
• Diagnose access-related problems as soon as possible
• Adjust access controls before implementing encryption widely
• Show adherence to the audits

An Example

Think about an HR division that uses ServiceNow to securely store employee salary data. Users complain incomplete reports and issues with onboarding workflows after encryption is enabled. Administrators struggle to identify the underlying problem in the absence of clear insight.

How Access Observer Assists: 

• Configuration: Administrators make Access Observer available for encrypted fields pertaining to salaries
• Monitoring: User and script access attempts are recorded and examined. They
  discover that certain HR jobsdo not have access to encrypted salary fields, and a legacy script is attempting to access them without the required authorization
• Action: The script has been fixed and access policies have been changed
• Result: Reports and workflows run well, and data access is fully visible.

This example demonstrates how Access Observer guards against operational interruptions in addition to safegurding sensitive data.

ServiceNow's Yokohama release continues the platform’s push into AI-powered automation, but its security enhancements like Access Observer deserve equal attention.

For organizations handling sensitive data—especially in regulated industries like finance, healthcare, and HR—Access Observer provides the transparency and control necessary to confidently deploy field encryption without risking workflow disruptions or compliance issues.

Note: Access Observer is available as part of ServiceNow Vault. It may require an additional license. Organizations not currently subscribed to Vault should consult with their ServiceNow account representative to explore options.

ServiceNow documentation for additional details.