There are some important considerations that can impact your security of your mission-critical SAP applications in the cloud. Let’s find out what you should think about.
A single SAP system can house data from across your business including your human resources, finance, and product development departments.
With so much sensitive data — all in one place — it’s not surprising that SAP systems are a juicy target for hackers. According to a survey, 89 percent of security professionals predict that attacks on SAP systems will increase.
Despite the risks, many enterprises fail to secure their mission-critical SAP applications when they move them to the cloud. They make the mistake of assuming that their SAP systems are secure out of the box. However, SAP expects you to handle your own security, including ongoing maintenance and patching.
5 key security considerations before moving SAP to the cloud
There are five important security considerations that can impact your SAP applications in the cloud. Let’s find out what they are.
-
Your monthly infection rates
Enterprises track their vital business metrics from their monthly revenue to their employee turnover rate. However, we have found that less than 5 percent of enterprises know their monthly infection rate or when their last security event occurred. These numbers are two of the most important metrics that a business should track. You should also track your external vulnerabilities and malware events.
-
Your cybersecurity alerts or alarms
Your cybersecurity alerts or alarms give you the “security pulse” of your company. However, most IT teams are understaffed, fatigued, and don’t have the time or resources to monitor them like they should. Look for automated tools that generate alerts whenever something suspicious happens in your SAP environment.
-
How cybersecurity threats enter your network
According to Cisco, 77 percent of breaches start with an email. Many enterprises think that firewalls will block malicious content. But firewalls only secure the perimeter of your network. To stop threats, you must cut them off at your entrance points. Look for an endpoint protection solution that blocks threats in real time across all areas of your network – including your SAP infrastructure, the domain name systems (DNS) level, and your mobile devices.
-
Are you simply “checking the box” for audits?
Is IT security something you do to pass an audit or something you do to protect your enterprise?
Many enterprises treat IT security as something that they need to do to pass an audit. However, “checking the box” for audits doesn’t make you secure. Instead, you must take a holistic view of IT security to both protect your business and pass audits.
-
Your security tools
Does your enterprise rely on legacy technologies that are decades old? If so, you’re a ticking time bomb. These systems can’t keep pace with today’s threats. Look for next-generation technologies that can identify malware, phishing, and hacking tools and prevent them from getting onto your network. New technologies will also spot changes in user behavior that can put you at risk. For example, if an unauthorized employee tries to access an SAP application, the security tool will send you an alert.
Learn more about securing your SAP systems
Learn how SAP customers can address inconsistent cloud standards and strengthen your security. Discover how to not squander your overall security budget by knowing what problems to solve. Find out the biggest misconception about SAP security and take a deep dive into cybersecurity with the ultimate guide to enterprise IT security.
You can also contact us today to discover how we help you with your cybersecurity efforts and protect your mission-critical SAP systems.