In recent years, high-profile data breaches have greatly affected the discussions on the topic of data security. Institutions’ ability to protect personal information has been questioned, even to the degree that government agencies are passing new laws requiring greater effort on the part of organizations to protect personal data. In this context, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) data security has assumed great significance.
ERP tools (known as ERP applications) serve as centralized repositories offering a summary of activities across the enterprise. Maintaining ERP data security, therefore, is a critical component of every cybersecurity strategy.
Here are a few practical and effective ways to ensure your ERP data security:
1. Security Updates
The continued relevance of your ERP application relies on keeping the whole system up-to-date. The complexity of software programs and network security calls for periodic patch releases to fix programming errors and new malware advances. Updates also enhance bugs in the framework and can incorporate features that are not present in native versions.
Unpatched solutions at the enterprise level create a danger of breaches that quietly impact a single component and spread to the rest of the network. This is why every portion of your ERP databases must be kept up-to-date, including integrated modules. Add-ons that handle essential core tasks, such as financial data management, need to be extensively patched to ensure that they do not become entry points in your program. Outdated interfaces are simpler to use, and may not be compliant with more recent updates. Upgrading to the latest version of ERP application is highly recommended.
2. Reporting System
If a problem arises with your data integrity, you would need visibility into the ERP program to fix it. Tracking the instance back to the source will help determine the cause of the incident, the full extent of the harm, and help avoid repeated incidents. Precise internal reporting gives total traceability for results. Maintaining data over a single network allows you to find it much quicker and more effectively. Active monitoring systems alert data administrators of instances of unauthorized access to data, which can then be promptly handled.
3. Permissions
External cyber threats are not the only hazard to your ERP solution’s stored data; internal blind spots also pose serious vulnerabilities. Unregulated access enables anyone to communicate with the data stored in your business solution, including confidential information. Maintaining clear segregation of duties (SoD) when it comes to your ERP security helps you to set accessibility levels that facilitate user interaction monitoring.
Modern ERP security solutions allow you to build tiered user roles that constrain access only to approved operators. This prevents people from physically accessing the device and gaining entry to data in it without proper authorization. Network administrators should track user information to detect instances of misuse and resolve possible internal attacks.
4. Support Services
Despite several preventive steps to secure your ERP program, you can still face issues in the future. It is crucial in these situations to be able to call for support to return the enterprise applications to working order. It’s also essential that the advisor is familiar with your issue’s complexity and your program’s details to provide the appropriate assistance.
5. Cloud-Based ERP
ERP applications that operate in the cloud circumvent some of the requirements of conventional models. Users need to be aware of these variations and how they can be used to avoid hidden loopholes.
Cloud ERP systems provide an advantage over conventional apps in downloading and executing updates more quickly. If you use a cloud-based ERP, then you can install updates as soon as they are released.
A possible downside to cloud-based software is that it may allow more open access if not adequately managed. This also brings the added risk of potentially breaching regional privacy laws if data are not sufficiently controlled and protected. It is important to enforce strict internal cybersecurity protocols and work with a framework that meets best practices in data protection guidelines.
These five tips, we hope, will go a long way in ensuring ERP data security for your organization.
