Cloud-native technologies like S/4HANA, coupled with the rise of AI, present new fields for cyber criminals. These sophisticated attackers are constantly evolving their tactics to exploit weaknesses in cloud deployments, making it difficult for traditional security measures to keep up. In fact, recent market trends show that 80% of data breaches have occurred on cloud assets in the last 12 months, highlighting the increasing complex nature of the attack surface for enterprises that do not have an effective Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solution in place.
So, what exactly makes S/4HANA vulnerable to cyberattacks? There are several key vulnerabilities in deployment and configuration that put businesses at risk of a potential data breach. One common issue is misconfigured cloud settings, which can leave sensitive data exposed to unauthorized access.
To put this in context, 54% of enterprises today highlight the complexity and fragmentation of cloud environments as a major security challenge for their operations teams. Additionally, weak authentication and inadequate encryption can make it easier for cybercriminals to steal valuable information. The business-critical information stored in ERP systems make them a valuable target to the cybercriminal. Finally, the complexity of cloud-native S/4HANA systems can make it difficult for IT teams to monitor and respond to security threats in real time.
Fortunately, there is a solution to these vulnerabilities: a real-time SASE DLP operation, powered by a superior network with end-to-end SLAs. SASE, or Secure Access Service Edge, combines network security and secure access technologies to provide a comprehensive solution for protecting cloud assets. By implementing a SASE DLP solution, businesses can monitor and control data access in real time, detect and respond to security threats quickly, and ensure compliance with data protection regulations.
To illustrate the importance of a SASE DLP solution, let's consider three examples of S/4HANA vulnerabilities that could lead to a data breach without proper protection:
1. Insecure APIs
S/4HANA relies on APIs to communicate with other systems and applications, making them a prime target for cyberattacks. Without safe authentication and encryption, APIs can be exploited by cybercriminals to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data. A SASE DLP solution can monitor API traffic in real time, detect suspicious activity, and block potential threats before they can cause harm.
2. Insider threats
Employees with access to S/4HANA systems can pose a significant risk to data security, whether intentionally or unintentionally. A SASE DLP solution can help businesses monitor user activity, detect unusual behavior, and prevent unauthorized data exfiltration. By implementing real-time monitoring and response capabilities, businesses can mitigate the risk of insider threats and protect their sensitive information.
3. Data leakage
One of the biggest concerns with cloud native S/4HANA is the risk of data leakage, whether due to accidental exposure or malicious intent. A SASE DLP solution can help businesses identify and classify sensitive data, monitor its movement within the cloud environment, and enforce policies to prevent unauthorized access. By implementing real-time data loss prevention measures, businesses can reduce the risk of data breaches and protect their valuable information.
In conclusion, while cloud-native S/4HANA offers many benefits for businesses, it also presents new security challenges that must be addressed. By implementing a real-time SASE DLP solution powered by a high performance, low-latency connectivity network, businesses can protect their sensitive data from AI-augmented cybercriminals, mitigate the risk of data breaches, and ensure compliance with data protection regulations. Don't wait until it's too late – invest in a SASE DLP solution today to secure your cloud assets and safeguard your business against cyber threats.
- Consider the importance of real-time contextual data insights to manage the increasingly complex threat landscape proactively. A strategic partner can help to deliver this increasingly important capability.
- Assess and align core skills to highlight any weaknesses in the organization. You may require a fully managed or co-managed service to resolve talent gaps and scale your SASE deployment to satisfy business outcomes.
SASE requires an ongoing commitment
A SASE strategy is not a tick-box exercise that gets delegated. It needs to be continually revisited to satisfy wider business needs. This is where sponsorship across C-suite executives is pivotal in making the business change that SASE will bring both effective and fruitful.
David is a Senior Consulting Partner within Orange Business focusing on network-native cybersecurity, cloud strategy, SASE strategy, cloud-native data and AI transformations. He works closely with our ISV ecosystem partners and our data-network-cybersecurity experts to lead advisory and digital infrastructure guidance to the C-suites of our enterprise customers.