As technology advances, more complex cyber-attacks are being launched. This has required the escalation of data security measures to combat the continuously evolving attacks threatening businesses today. SAP security focuses on protecting sensitive information stored by a company from internal threats inside a business. Below, we will review how data is safeguarded in SAP to maximize security.
Why Does an SAP Landscape Need Protection?
The need for security countermeasures that are strong enough to protect against cyber threats is more crucial than ever. The types of attacks have become more complex, requiring more rigorous defensive measures. SAP landscapes contain data that is extremely attractive to hackers. The different kinds of data in the SAP landscape include confidential information like financial records and sensitive procedures such as paying inventory.
Many businesses require SAP security measures to be in place to protect access to their customer’s intellectual property and bank account data. In the wrong hands, the information in an SAP system could be used for fraud, international espionage, industrial espionage, CEO fraud, and identity theft. CEO fraud refers to a scam in which a hacker tricks the employees of a company into wiring money into offshore bank accounts. For this reason, companies must implement secure methods to protect the sensitive data they store.
Another reason an SAP landscape requires considerable protection is the potential disruption to a business’s operation, which can significantly harm a company’s growth and success. Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, ransomware, and root access abuse can devastate a business. This is why proper controls and countermeasures must be implemented to ensure a business is not vulnerable.
SAP Security vs Cyber Security
There is an important distinction when comparing the differences between SAP security and cyber security. SAP security refers to the security measures to protect a business against internal threats. Cyber security refers to the services that protect organizations against external threats.
Protection measures for SAP systems focus on ensuring bad actors cannot access a business’s network that stores sensitive data. Some examples of SAP security measures include Identity and Access Management (IAM), firewall monitoring, and intrusion detection. The Security Operations team will be able to detect any suspicious activity and conduct an investigation into any threats or potential issues that come up. Once the problem has been identified, measures can be taken to neutralize any threats before they can cause significant harm to the organization.
SAP security tools ensure that only authorized individuals have access to the network that stores sensitive information, thus ensuring the risk of an internal cyber attack is as low as possible. This is done by restricting access to the network by assigning different access levels to those with specific roles in the company. Doing this makes it much easier to monitor an individual’s patterns using the web and determine if they have accessed parts of the network that they shouldn’t be allowed to.
What Is SAP Security and Authorization?
Three elements control access to sensitive information an organization stores on an SAP system. The first element is the requirement for a user to establish their identity before gaining access to a business’s data. An example would be an employee showing a form of identification, such as a driver’s license, to log onto the network. The next element is authentication when the SAP system can confirm that the person attempting to gain access is who they say they are. This usually comes as a username and password, followed by the final element, Authorization.
Authorization is the last step in SAP security, which involves the SAP system matching the user with the correct network access level. An example of this would be a staff member in the accounting department who can only access the account module and the data required to perform their job.
Protect Your Business
Having SAP security measures in place is essential for businesses to be protected against internal cyber-attacks and threats. The organization’s SAP system needs to be set up in a way that is open enough for employees to work efficiently; however, the level of access must be restricted to reduce the risks of data breaches. Governing authorization by different roles is the best practice to reduce the administrative burden of managing access controls while maximizing protection against security risks.