October 17, 2023
Enterprise software from SAP enables many large organizations to process data. In a digital and highly competitive world, this ability is often their key to survival. As such, SAP cybersecurity is a top priority.
Of course, blocking attackers from important data isn’t a one-and-done task. Rather, it’s a dynamic game of cat-and-mouse in which attackers and defenders vie to outmaneuver each other.
It may seem like SAP cybersecurity is already a big issue in business. But in the coming years, experts predict it will become an even hotter topic. The pace of growth remains high for digital technology, online attacks, and new defenses. Coming developments will bring massive security advantages to companies that know how to use them.
For instance, artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology are grabbing news headlines and receiving major investments. You can also expect quantum computing to go mainstream down the road. And methods such as DevSecOps and Zero Trust are winning converts in tech circles.
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All these exciting trends promise to deliver improved protection against the growing menaces to business. But the new technologies pose a challenge to the organizations that want to adopt them. There’s generally a learning curve for innovations; and in some cases, it’s too steep for a company to climb. What’s more, some of these technologies are double-edged swords that add new capacities but expose data to new risks.
Managed security solves these problems by offering the services of technology professionals who understand the innovations deeply. Providers such as Approyo stay on top of the tech through comprehensive cloud solutions such as monitoring, installation and upgrades, and SAP cybersecurity management. This means you can access the benefits of cutting-edge technology without the usual worry, cost, or risk.
Those responsible for IT should track the latest trends. These developments affect SAP cybersecurity by presenting new ways to tighten the system’s safeguards. Ongoing improvements apply to all levels: the basic hardware and network, the database and applications, organizational procedures, and so on.
The cloud is a spread-out set of IT resources that flexibly deliver both computation and storage. SAP has bet on the cloud, focusing development efforts on its cloud-based solutions. Some of these products and services are already available. But the trend is toward ever greater use of the cloud to host deployments like SAP S/4HANA Cloud and its database SAP HANA Cloud.
As companies move their enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to the cloud, they’ll see more benefits to security, scalability, and cost. In addition, cloud-based SAP installations have multiple layers of defense. The facilities use physical, network, and software measures. But there are also security challenges, such as migrating and managing data.
Expert-led cloud transformation addresses these challenges. A careful assessment underpins the cloud strategy. Application modernization and regulatory compliance built on this strategy bring your systems up to snuff. With managed security for the leading cloud platforms, you’ll have SAP cybersecurity you can trust.
Typically, computers were programmed to perform specific calculations in a direct, logical sequence. But more recent techniques powered by AI actually mimic human thinking. Machine learning (ML) is one such approach—devices are programmed to experiment with a problem until they find their own answer.
AI and ML are exploding in popularity, with new applications regularly coming to market. In terms of SAP cybersecurity, AI and ML enable organizations to recognize and resolve threats before they cause damage. For example, a bank could teach a machine learning algorithm to identify hacking attempts. It could then shut down attacks before they break into customer accounts.
Blockchain technology is even newer than cloud or AI technology. Basically, a blockchain ledger records transactions over the internet in a secure fashion. These transactions are often for cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, but there are many other interesting blockchain uses. For instance, future businesses may use “smart contracts,” and global finance and logistics will come to depend on blockchain technology.
When it comes to SAP cybersecurity, blockchain can protect the authenticity of business data. Because a blockchain ledger produces a record of events that cannot be modified, it will prevent people from tampering with your data. This is critical for data integrity, which lies at the foundation of the information systems driving modern business.
SAP is a longstanding contributor to the Hyperledger Project that’s bringing highly secure blockchain to more industries. For SAP cybersecurity, the use of blockchain could also bring more trust to the open-source modules used within enterprise software by tracking contributions flawlessly.
Compared to the other trends, quantum computing is the farthest from current technology in terms of its practicality for business. Classical computers work by sending electricity through a number of logic gates. By contrast, quantum computing relies on the more recently discovered physical phenomena called “superposition” and “entanglement.”
What this means for SAP cybersecurity is that future quantum computers may be able to break the encryption now in use.
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Think of all the encrypted financial information, medical information, military and government data, and enterprise data that exists. Now, think of all that data out in the open. Threat actors are “harvesting” and stockpiling data to decrypt when quantum hacking becomes feasible. So, technology firms will need to develop quantum-resistant encryption schemes.
On the other hand, quantum cryptography enables new features like secure key sharing. Only the sending and receiving parties should have the key to unlock encrypted messages. With conventional technology, an attacker could try to steal the key undetected. But with quantum mechanics, any such attempts on a future quantum system would be found out.
There are two models gaining steam among software professionals that help ensure SAP cybersecurity. One of them, DevSecOps, takes its name from the combination of development, security, and operations in IT. This approach uses automation extensively throughout the software lifecycle to make businesses more agile. Security is considered a core component of the entire process, not an add-on as in earlier methodologies.
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The other model is called Zero Trust. As the name implies, this architecture doesn’t allow any connected device or user to access data without proper verification. With the increasing connectivity of workplaces, it’s becoming untenable to grant access beyond what’s truly necessary. In Zero Trust, even if someone has logged in before or is working from the corporate intranet, the system still has to authenticate them anew.
DevSecOps and Zero Trust join the technology-based trends generating stronger SAP security. Incidentally, these trends don’t work in isolation—they interconnect. For instance, quantum computing must now be taken into account for Zero Trust models to protect against future attacks. A complete solution provider can assist your organization with all these tactics.
Hacks are growing in number and complexity each year. These attacks threaten to overwhelm companies that aren’t prepared. Fortunately, there are also several technologies in development to counteract the threats.
For instance, cloud technology is already on the scene and continues to expand its presence. Approyo has in-depth expertise in providing cloud solutions that future-proof enterprises. We also have vast experience with artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Emergent technologies like blockchain and quantum computing are drastically altering the competitive environment. What’s more, new methodologies, including DevSecOps and Zero Trust will rise to the occasion to enhance SAP cybersecurity. A knowledgeable technology partner is crucial to make it through the tough years ahead.
Learn more about these threats and their solutions in this book, Mastering SAP: Protecting Your SAP Environment in Today’s Cybersecurity World.
Now is the time to safeguard your data for the future. Connect with Approyo today for a free SAP cybersecurity consultation.
