Due to its wide acceptance, SAP has become a favorite target for hackers. With the ubiquity of SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, their extensive data banks, and the ever-expanding digital interfaces of the business world, hackers have become experts in SAP systems, making security more complex and crucial for uninterrupted operations.
SAP interfaces can be vulnerable. Interfaces integrate processes and transmit data between multiple SAP internal or external systems; hackers can access them if they need to be more adequately secured. Some SAP systems are more secure than others, depending on the interface complexity, the type of data being exchanged, and the level of integration with other business systems. However, the steps for securing SAP differ depending on the system and standard SAP interfaces, such as:
- IDoc (Intermediate Document) Interface is often used to transfer transactional data with external parties, such as customers or partners.
- BAPI (Business Application Programming Interface) is the primary means SAP interacts with customer code and third-party applications.
- RFC (Remote Function Call) Interface is the standard interface between two SAP systems or between an external system and a company’s SAP platform, allowing for custom development.
- Interfaces File is the repository of connection information for Adaptive Server Enterprises and Open Server applications; it contains the requisite information for a system to connect to those servers.
- Web Services interfaces like the Single Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and Representational State Transfer (REST) enable SAP users to build or utilize Web services.
Securing Interfaces
Because these SAP interfaces are crucial to business activity, securing them is vital to operations. The following are five procedures for securing SAP interfaces from malicious activities:
1. Use Only Secured Protocols: Encrypted protocols such as AES and HTTPS keep messages secure as they are transmitted from one system to another; if they are intercepted mid-transmission, the encryption makes the information useless.
2. Strengthen Authentication Procedures: One-time passwords (OTPs) and two-factor or multi-factor authentication (2FA and MFA) are simple and effective ways to secure a system and its interfaces, as they make it more difficult for someone to break. Authentications, such as keys tied to a physical drive or biometric procedures, are further security measures that should be adopted.
3. Build In Role-Based Access Controls: Role-based permissions can keep people from accessing sensitive information not required for their job. With role-based permissions, you can ensure that employees have access to only the areas that have been expressly granted to them. Many employees only need access to one interface, and allowing them access to any interface opens a company to a significant risk.
4. Monitor The Activity Of Your SAP Users: Regular monitoring and logging use and access to SAP systems will help pinpoint abnormal activities. Malicious activity could still happen even if the right person has been given permission. Therefore, monitoring and logging are essential.
5. Keep Your SAP System Current: Stay alert for updates and patches. SAP releases updates and patches on the second Tuesday of each month. Once alerted, companies should implement them soon after they’re available. In addition, new vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered; when patches are released, hackers look for any company that hasn’t implemented them to harden their systems.
There are many attack vectors within SAP systems, and they are constantly changing. The three significant areas to mind for best security measures are:
- Access Process
- Perpetual Activity Monitoring
- Vigilant Patching
However, securing your SAP interfaces will require more than a manual process. You want a solution that will automate the security process with holistic dashboard monitoring displays and the ability to categorize the most critical patches for immediate execution. Utilizing these solutions will give you an up-to-date defense that can help prevent hackers from accessing your SAP system.
The post Securing SAP Systems: Essential Strategies to Protect Against Hackers appeared first on Cybersecurity Insiders.
September 17, 2024 at 07:36AM
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