SAP systems take care of data, which is a critical aspect a company has to protect – and threat actors know about it: hackers take less than three days after a patch to attack SAP systems. For that reason, having strong SAP security is a must, and these 10 best practices will help you do that.

SAP security best practices include using patches as soon as they’re released, trusting SAP security solutions, and hiring cybersecurity analysts who know about this environment. Setting your infrastructure properly, monitoring activity, and training employees are also necessary.

SAP has millions of users worldwide. This company also works with almost every big company you’ve ever heard of. You must know how to protect that system, even if it takes time. We’ll also show you a quick and easy guide to deal with this issue if you’re in a rush.

Quick and Easy Guide To SAP Cybersecurity

• Train Employees. Users are often the weak link between infrastructure and threat actors. They fall for phishing attempts with ease – unless you train them to recognize these scams. At the same time, you have to teach them to protect their privacy to prevent social engineering attempts from succeeding.
• Update Software. As discussed above, SAP systems are targeted less than three days after a patch is released, meaning you have a short window to secure your infrastructure. For that reason, you need to patch your software as soon as possible, even if that means facing downtime.
• Monitor Data. The easiest way to spot a threat actor roaming around your network is to look for unusual activity: bandwidth spikes, users logging in during odd hours, and employees requesting authorizations they don’t need for their job. All three are clear-cut signs of an attack.

10 SAP Cybersecurity Best Practices To Follow

1. Patch Software as Soon as Possible

We can’t stress enough how important updating software is, especially when working within an SAP environment.

Recent  SAP vulnerabilities had a score of 9 or higher on the CVSS, meaning you’re one unpatched exploit from a catastrophic breach.

Fortunately, SAP developers are working around the clock to fix any vulnerabilities, though that doesn’t mean you should skip one today and wait for the next one.

2. Have a Line of Defense in Case of an Attack

Patching software will not be enough to fend off all cyber attacks your company will face. You need to have a line of defense ready: scanning and monitoring your environment is a must whether you’re using SAP software or not.

If this software plays a big part in how you run your business, ensure you get defense products that don’t interfere with it. In other words, consult with SAP to see which antivirus and other defensive software you need.

3. Trust SAP Solutions and Resources

SAP offers a lot of resources to reduce the number of successful cyberattacks users face.

For example, they have a Secure Operations Map that lets people know how to proactively defend your system when using their software.

That document also helps you configure your settings the right way, so you don’t have threat actors slip through the cracks – which may happen if you don’t have all access points under control.

4. Control the Access Points

SAP software has a lot of moving parts: you’ll have more as your company grows. That means you may overlook more and more access points as time goes on. Add that to an unpatched SAP vulnerability, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Routinely scanning your infrastructure for things like open ports is the go-to way of preventing threat actors from slipping through the cracks.

5. Monitor Unusual Activity All the Time

As we’ve stated above, SAP has a lot of moving parts – but that doesn’t mean you’re going to let threat actors take advantage of that.

You can use AI and similar software to monitor activity. Check what your employees are doing and whether something unusual happens around the clock.

Even if you’re not using SAP software, doing so is a must. Paying attention to who logs in, where, and why is necessary when you’re using software like that.

6. Review SAP Logs Periodically

Being in a permanent state of alert is not a good way to defend your infrastructure.

However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t let software be on high alert – as long as you review activity logs every once in a while.

Software makes mistakes – and hackers can exploit hidden vulnerabilities. For that reason, manually checking the activity logs every once in a while will help you find issues AI may overlook.

7. Pay Attention to the News

Not so long ago, hackers took advantage of an exploit as soon as it was reported at a conference. Threat actors are not taking rests or waiting for developers to patch vulnerabilities. They will act as soon as possible.

That means you have to do the same. You can’t wait until someone else fixes a problem for you – because hackers will be doing damage long before that happens.

You don’t have to attend hacker conferences if you’re the CEO – but your cybersecurity analysts should be watching the news.

8. Hire SAP-competent Cybersecurity Analysts

SAP is a world of its own. It has many moving parts and dedicated software running all the time. That means you need people who are trained to use this system – as well as protect it.

In other words, you need to hire cybersecurity analysts who know what SAP is and how it works. Otherwise, you may have a crisis knocking on your door when a threat actor exploits a vulnerability your analysts don’t know exist.

You’ll have to train in-house analysts if none appear looking for a job.

9. Routinely Train Your Employees

Employees are often the organizational weak link. Combine untrained employees with the fact that SAP infrastructure is a high-profile target for threat actors, and you have a problem.

Hackers will target your employees first. Sure, they’ll take a shot at your system and see if they can exploit it. However, it’s always easier to get access by scamming one of your employees, especially if they have a privileged account and are not very tech-savvy.

Taking one day every quarter to train employees drastically reduces the number of breaches you’ll suffer.

10. Take a Holistic Security Approach

SAP covers a lot (or pretty much every single area) of your business, though you can’t see each part as separate. You have to look at your company as a machine full of moving parts that need to be secure.

In other words, your entire IT infrastructure should be treated as one and the same. For example, you don’t have a breach in HR if a hacker leaks employee information: your entire system is compromised.

It’s important to take a holistic approach, especially when dealing with SAP, since this software looks at departments as different things that complement each other.

SAP Cybersecurity FAQ

What’s SAP?

SAP is a resource planning software. It helps businesses smoothly streamline their processes. In other words, it’s a great way to help different areas (such as the supply chain) work together easily.

This software covers all areas of business, from sales to human resources to everything in between. That means you have one access point for threat actors to take advantage of – if you’re not careful enough.

SAP systems are not inherently vulnerable. The company in charge of that software is always making an effort to patch any possible exploits – but that doesn’t mean attacks will stop.

Are SAP Systems Under Attack?

SAP systems have a target on their backs. Threat actors know how much valuable data there is behind these metaphorical doors, so they will do anything they can to breach SAP systems.

You’ve seen how quickly hackers act when data is there for the taking: threat actors relentlessly attacked SAP systems when a vulnerability was shown during a hacker conference.

In fact, most vulnerabilities for this type of software have a critical CVSS score. In other words, you have to be ready to fend off these attacks or lose a lot of data and money.

This trend started a couple of years ago: the attacks began when SAP software became an important part of companies and data storage.

Why Is Cybersecurity Important?

Cybersecurity prevents threat actors from stealing money and data from your company. It’s the wall between hackers and users.

One data breach could cost your company millions. Small businesses often don’t recover from these scenarios. At the same time, threat actors constantly look for new victims to wreak havoc.

For that reason, having a cybersecurity department is necessary for big companies. Smaller ones should have cybersecurity analysts working to build a safe infrastructure.

Conclusion

SAP cyber security is about keeping software updated, properly setting up infrastructure, and making the most out of SAP solutions. At the same time, following the usual best practices is also important: training your employees, monitoring activity, and hiring analysts specialized in the system you want to use. U.S. Cybersecurity experts are standing by to assist with SAP security.